'It's unacceptable': Chinese 'spy' balloon a cause for greater concern

WASHINGTON (TND) — Somewhere in the skies above America is what’s being called a Chinese spy balloon, prompting concerns from the White House to the Pentagon.

Though China insists its civilian, used mostly for weather research and drifted off course, Pentagon officials Friday disputed that claim.

American officials ruled out shooting it down, partially because it could pose a risk to people on the ground.

We are aware of the PRC’s statement but we know as a fact, it is a surveillance balloon,” said Air Force Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.

We know it’s invaded US airspace, which is unacceptable," Ryder said.

Author of The Return of Great Power Rivalry, and acting director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council, Matthew Kroenig has long warned of China’s intentions.

“China must believe that it provides additional additive value or they wouldn't have taken the risk," Kroenig said. "In addition, where they’re flying this, is concerning. They’re flying this over the U.S. intercontinental ballistic sites.”

He added, “In addition, I think it just shows a brazenness on the part of China that it feels it can challenge the United States and there will be no consequences.”

Reporters shouted questions at President Joe Biden Friday, but he dodged them.

If you wanna ask any questions about the economy, I’ll talk about that but not about anything else," the president said.

Mark Esper, the former defense secretary under President Donald Trump said, “The Chinese have been spying on us for years, for decades. We know the FBI tells us every 12 hours they open up an espionage case. To me, this is a brazen act. So, at the political level we have to push back. We have to defend American sovereignty and we have to make clear to the Chinese that we’re not going to tolerate this.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is now postponing his meetings in China, originally set for next week.

Early on I was reassured by the Biden approach, they kept a lot of the tough policies on China in place,” said Kroenig. “I have been concerned by some of the recent statements. It does seem some of the Biden administration is too naïve.” “

Kroenig continued, "They talk about possibly cooperating with China on climate change, arms control,” but he said that often only works when you have a trustworthy partner to cooperate with, and he says China is not that.

As China increases its spread globally, skepticism is also growing on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle voicing worry about suspected Chinese data collection using everything from the app TikTok to the technology in televisions.

This, as the US just announced a larger American military presence in the Pacific in hopes of deterring a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

“It’s peace through strength. It’s Ronald Reagan's old maxim. The best way to deter a war, we don’t want to fight a war with China. We want to deter them from further imperialism," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, said.

And discourage incursions like this, which the Pentagon also claims, isn’t the first.