Key takeaways:
- The U.S. government has confirmed that a Chinese spy balloon shot down over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend was equipped with high-tech surveillance equipment.
- The equipment on the balloon was “clearly for intelligence surveillance” and was linked to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China.
- The U.S. government has not yet commented on the incident, but it is likely that the incident will be investigated further.
The U.S. government has confirmed that a Chinese spy balloon shot down over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend was equipped with high-tech surveillance equipment.
A senior State Department official said Thursday that photos taken by high-altitude U-2 planes confirmed the presence of the equipment, including “multiple antennas … likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications” and “solar panels large enough to produce the requisite power to operate multiple active intelligence collection.”
The balloon, which flew above the U.S. for eight days, was linked to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The official said the balloon maker had “proven ties to the Chinese military.”
The equipment on the balloon was “clearly for intelligence surveillance,” the official said. It is not yet known what information the balloon was able to collect before it was shot down.
The U.S. government has not yet commented on the incident, but it is likely that the incident will be investigated further. In the meantime, the U.S. government has warned citizens to be aware of the potential for Chinese espionage.
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