“Shoot down the spy balloon”: there is a US plan. Airspace closed in South and North Carolina

It is since the emergency of the spy balloon was first communicated to him last Tuesday that the president of the United States, Joe Biden, has repeatedly discussed military options, but he has always been advised, so far, to avoid shooting down the balloon for fear that the debris could fall on inhabited areas. Joe Biden’s patience, however, is reaching its limit and so the resident reassures that his administration will manage the story of the Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over the United States for days. “We’ll take care of it,” he replied, upon his arrival at Syracuse airport, without providing further explanations, to the CNN reporter who asked him if he would give the order to shoot it down.

From sources inside the Biden administration, however, the news comes that the United States is evaluating a plan to shoot down the Chinese spy balloon once it has begun to fly over the Atlantic. This was reported by Fox News, quoting a senior administration official and emphasizing that in this way there would be no risk of wreckage falling on inhabited areas, which has so far prompted US military leaders to advise against shooting down the balloon. Furthermore, the sources specify, there would be the possibility of recovering the wreckage.

According to Pentagon estimates, the balloon should leave the continental United States today and begin flying over the Atlantic.

Airspace closed in South and North Carolina

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered the closure of the airspace in some areas of North Carolina and South Carolina, where the Chinese spy balloon would be in transit. They were blocked, a spokesman for the federal aviation authorities announced, in three airports: Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Wilmington, for legal reasons related to the “defense of national airspace”. The confirmation also comes from the ABC television station, which speaks of “national security initiatives”.

A second spy balloon sighted in Latin America

The second Chinese spy balloon which, according to what the Pentagon confirmed is flying over Latin America, would have been sighted in Colombia and Costa Rica. This was reported by CNN which cites the Colombian media, according to which the balloon was sighted at over 21,000 meters in height, based on data that would have been provided by the military. Also in Costa Rica there are reports of sightings of what could be the same balloon sighted in Colombia.

CNN underlines that no official confirmation or communication has come from the governments of the two South American countries. Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder yesterday spoke of “reports of a balloon in transit in Latin America, which we believe is another Chinese spy balloon”, but did not provide any specific location. CNN interviewed Esteban Carranza, a Costa Rican lawyer, who posted on Twitter on Thursday a video of what he calls “the same type of balloon sighted in the US” which would have been visible “all day in the skies over Costa Rica”, in detail of the capital San Jose.

“I must say that at first I thought I was seeing a UFO, because it was a large, bright and absolutely still object – he explained to the American broadcaster – I observed it for 45 minutes from different angles, always still, and after a few hours I came back and it was always there, many people saw it from different parts of the city”.

China reacts

“China always acts in strict accordance with international law and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. We have no intention of violating and have never violated the territory or airspace of any sovereign country. Some politicians and the media in the United States have exalted “the story of the Chinese spy balloon in the US skies” to attack and defame China. The Chinese side is strongly against this.” This was reported in a note by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman to express his position on what is happening in the American skies.

Meanwhile, on Blinken’s alleged visit to China, which was later cancelled, Beijing specifies that “neither side has ever announced that there would be a visit. It is up to the United States to make its latest announcement and we respect that.” So in a note from the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman in response to ponement of the visit to China by the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, following the incident of the Chinese spy balloon identified in the US skies.

“Maintaining contacts and communication at all levels – it continues – is an important common understanding reached by the Chinese and US presidents in their meeting in Bali. One of the tasks of the diplomatic teams of both sides is to manage bilateral relations correctly, in particular to handle some unforeseen situations with cold blood and prudence”.