The Pentagon has revealed that it is tracking a high-altitude Chinese balloon flying over sensitive sites in the western United States. In response, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a planned diplomatic trip to China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has admitted that the balloon is a “civilian airship” used mainly for weather research, but it is believed to be a surveillance device, raising concerns about Chinese espionage activities in the US. The Biden administration is now considering a response to the balloon's presence.