(Daily Mail) China is threatening to respond with ‘resolute action’ which American defense experts say could result in ‘further provocations’ after the U.S. finally shot down their spy balloon.
Beijing’s Foreign Ministry last night slammed the move as a ‘clear overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.
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An F-22 Raptor fighter jet took down the balloon with a single AIM-9X sidewinder missile at 2.38pm on Saturday, off the coast of South Carolina.
Beijing issued a chilling statement saying it ‘reserves the right to make further responses if necessary.’
‘The Chinese side has, after verification, repeatedly informed the U.S. side of the civilian nature of the airship and conveyed that its entry into the U.S. due to force majeure was totally unexpected,’ the Ministry said.
Beijing has warned that America’s decision to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon that hovered over U.S. nuclear silos was a ‘clear overreaction’ and to prepare for ‘responses’
Former Trump administration Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. James Anderson (pictured) warned that Beijing could deploy vessels to interfere with America’s retrieval of the surveillance balloon’s payload
Defense officials estimated the balloon was about the size of three buses at a height of 120 feet, and that the debris field would be substantial, estimated at seven miles when it was shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday
‘The Chinese side has clearly asked the U.S. side to properly handle the matter in a calm, professional and restrained manner,’ it added.
‘The spokesperson of the U.S. Department of Defense also noted that the balloon does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.
‘Under such circumstances, the U.S. use of force is a clear overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.
‘China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the company concerned, and reserves the right to make further responses if necessary.’
With the U.S. bracing for China‘s next move, Dr. James Anderson, a former Trump administration Defense official, told Fox News Beijing ‘will continue to claim that the United States ‘overreacted’ in shooting down the spy balloon.’
‘Beijing may also engage in further provocations against U.S. interests in the days ahead,’ Anderson warned, suggesting China could interfere with the recovery of the debris and its surveillance payload.
‘It is possible, though one would certainly hope unlikely, that in the coming days one or more PLA-directed maritime vessels may seek to interfere with the recovery effort of the balloon debris located within U.S. territorial waters,’ he told Fox.
‘If this were to happen, U.S. warships would be fully justified in providing any such intruders with one-way tickets to the bottom of the ocean.’
As the Navy and Coast Guard work to secure a perimeter around the downed craft, it also emerged overnight that three other Chinese spy balloons had entered U.S. airspace during the Trump administration but the public was never informed and the balloons were never shot down.
Republican leaders, nevertheless, called on Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to resign over the latest incident.
Audio from FRANK01 (Langley AFB F-22) calling, “SPASH ONE”confirming to “HUNTRESS” (Eastern Air Defense Sector “EADS”) that the #ChineseSpyBallon is completely destroyed off the coast of South Carolina today 😎
*Big thanks to 📷Brett728 for sharing pics and 🕵️♀️ for the audio! pic.twitter.com/8tfZeyeNAy— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) February 5, 2023
An F-22 Raptor fighter jet fired a single AIM-9X missile to take down a Chinese spy balloon and its payload, which was equipped with cameras, sensors and radars
Jets were seen flying close to the balloon around 1.30pm after a source revealed that defense officials were planning a shoot down and capture mission
Officials said the first spy balloon that traveled across the U.S. fell six miles off the coast of South Carolina in waters about 47 feet deep. They noted that a proper salvage vessel won’t be on the scene for days as the race is on to secure the wreckage
Heino Klink, a former deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, agreed that China will likely throw accusations against the U.S. for taking down the balloon.
‘They’ll claim that it was all completely innocent. That it was a weather balloon,’ Klinck told Fox.
‘They’ll reiterate the statements they’ve made before. But in essence, as is the norm for them, they’ll launch counteraccusations and deny that they were in the wrong.
‘It is the norm for them to try to portray themselves as the innocent actor abiding by international law and international standards of conduct, when in fact it’s the exact opposite,’ he added.
Klink also warned that China could use the incident to try and justify ‘incursions into Taiwanese airspace.’
Heino Klink, a former deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, also warned that China could use the incident to justify aggression in Taiwan
