House Passes Bill to Hold China Accountable for Violating US Airspace With Spy Balloon

On April 17, the House approved a bill 403 – 6 that would hold China responsible for violating American airspace.

The proposal, which Rep. Gregory Meeks( D-N) introduced on February 24 and was opposed by two Republicans and four Democrats, was defeated. Y. ), the most senior official on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

China is accused of sending detective balloons to pass over the United States under the Upholding Sovereignty of Airspace Act.

A Chinese spy bubble flew over the United States between January 28 and February 4 before being shot down off the coastline of South Carolina. According to reports, China was able to send the information gathered from the balloon before to Beijing.

In order to address the PRC’s’s global surveillance balloon program, the bill would mandate that the secretary of state” develop a diplomatic strategy to inform allies and partners of its scope and build global consensus”— such as” sharing intelligence, as appropriate about] the Peoples Republic of China” and its past violation of the sovereign airspace of ally and partner — in consultation with the director of national intelligence and the U.S. ambassador to the UN.

Another strategy would be to” coordinate with American allies and partners to find and track ambitious PRC surveillance bubbles, combat propaganda and false information about its global surveillance system, and publicly share any future independence breaches.”

” Using the United States’ voice, vote, and influence at the UN and other international and regional organizations to increase political pressure on the PRC to end its surveillance collection services that violate foreign sovereignty” would be a second strategy.

Raising the difficulties posed by the PRC’s’s global monitoring bubble program at significant international forums, such as the G7 and G20 summits, would be a fourth strategy.

To make sure that American goods, software, or technologies are not harmed, a second strategy would be to” coordinate with allies and partners on the implementation and execution of considerably similar sanctions and trade regulates.”