WASHINGTON, Feb 3: China has stationed a spy craft over US skies in the north-western
region where its nuclear installations are located, the Pentagon has said.
According to reports the Chinese "balloon" has been spotted above Montana and
other places since Wednesday. Montano is one of the three US nuclear missile
silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force base. There are 150 warheads located at Malmstrom
Air Force Base.
All flights were stopped at Montana's Billings Logan International Airport
from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm on Wednesday (local time) pending a decsion on the action
to be taken. And fighter jets like F-22s were kept ready to shoot down the balloon
if Biden ordered.
Although President Joe Biden wanted the surveillance "balloon" that has been
spotted since a few days to be taken down, the defence establishment said it
has not taken any action as it would endanger life and property on the ground.
Biden accepted the military's advice.
The matter has been brought to the notice of the Chinese through multilevel
channels. Chinese spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing was "verifying" the situation.
The Pentagon said the craft was flying far above aviation routes. Pentagon
press secretary Brig Gen Patrick Ryder said in a statement that the Government
tracking the balloon "currently traveling (80,000-120,000 feet) at an altitude
well above commercial air traffic (35,000-40,000 feet) and does not present
a military or physical threat to people on the ground." Steps have been taken
to ensure it did not collect sensitive information, he did not elaborate.
Other Pentagon officials told reporters that it is a Chinese high-altitude
balloon flying over sensitive sites to collect information.
Biden had sought the military's options when briefed and accepted the advice
of Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen Mark Milley, who is also chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, against taking "kinetic action" as it would be
risky for the people on the ground.
It was also sighted in Canada before entering the US.
The Defence Secretary currently on a visit of Philippines.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to make his first trip to Beijing
by weekend. No decision has been taken to review the travel plan in view of
the new development.
Spy balloons have flown over the US several times in the past but they were
briefly sighted.
US-China tensions in relationships are currently high over Taiwan and the South
China Sea issues.
