FBI discovers the utilization of American surveillance technology in Chinese balloon

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In a preliminary analysis conducted by the FBI, it has been discovered that the suspected Chinese spy balloon, which was shot down in the US earlier this year, was equipped with American technology.

According to a reliable source, the FBI shared this information with certain US lawmakers in March. The incident severely strained relations between Washington and Beijing, hindering the efforts to stabilize the situation.

Multiple US media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, have reported that the balloon carried surveillance equipment made in the US.

The White House and Pentagon have chosen not to comment on the matter, and US authorities have not disclosed any specifics regarding the equipment found on the balloon that crashed off the coast of South Carolina in February.

In a recent interview, Raja Krishnamoorthy, the leading Democrat on the House China committee, expressed how eye-opening the FBI information about the balloon was. Republican senators have called on the administration to provide a comprehensive analysis of the debris recovered from the balloon.

China asserts that the balloon was engaged in meteorological research and strayed off course due to poor weather conditions. Beijing has criticized the US for their response, highlighting the regular flights of American spy planes along the Chinese coast, albeit within international airspace.

US officials maintain that the balloon, which flew over sensitive nuclear missile facilities in Montana, was conducting espionage activities. They claim that the balloon, with a payload comparable to three school buses, carried surveillance equipment and violated US airspace by spying on American military sites.

The balloon incident initiated a crisis in US-China relations, which were already at their lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1979. As a result, Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled his visit to Beijing.

After four months of tense relations, Blinken recently traveled to Beijing, becoming the first secretary of state to visit China since 2018 and the first US cabinet member to visit in five years. During his visit, Blinken met with President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Qin Gang, and top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi.

Both Blinken and Xi described the visit as “constructive,” but the progress in stabilizing the relationship faced immediate strain after US President Joe Biden referred to Xi as a “dictator” last week.