Sullivan: Backtracking found that Chinese reconnaissance balloons flew over US airspace many times during the Trump era

1. online report
2. Political situation

07.02.2023

U.S. National Security Adviser Sullivan said on Monday that Biden’s call to strengthen national defense to prevent espionage from China following taking office played a role in the detection of Chinese spy balloons last week and helped confirm the presence of Chinese high-altitude balloons in the U.S. There have been many similar flights under the Trump administration.

(Deutsche Welle Chinese Network) U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan (Jake Sullivan) spoke at an event hosted by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (US Global Leadership Coalition) this Monday. Part of the report, “We were able to go back and look at past patterns,” found that during the Trump administration, there have been multiple incidents of Chinese reconnaissance balloons flying over U.S. airspace and He territory.

A few days ago, some U.S. officials said that during the Trump administration, at least three incidents of Chinese high-altitude balloons flying over the U.S. airspace occurred. After Biden took office, there was at least one such incident, but the duration of each time was different. Not as long as this time. In each of these incidents, the U.S. did not determine that the balloons belonged to China until they left U.S. airspace, said Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of U.S. Northern Command. “I’m going to tell you that we didn’t detect these threats at the time, it was a domain awareness gap.”

Several former Trump administration officials said they were unaware of such incidents during their tenure.

Sullivan did not explain exactly what allowed the United States to detect and track the balloon this time, something the previous administration may have failed to do. He said the U.S. was still exploring which Chinese officials had knowledge of the high-altitude balloon releases, but he was reluctant to speak publicly regarding U.S. assessments of China’s intentions to fly balloons over the United States.

Similar Chinese balloons have flown over parts of five continents in recent years, U.S. officials said, without providing details.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration had previously raised concerns regarding China’s use of surveillance balloons with Congress, including in a briefing last August.

U.S. military begins collecting balloon debris

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby (John Kirby) told reporters on Monday (February 6) that the U.S. military has begun collecting balloon debris. In addition, the White House has offered to brief key officials in the Trump administration, but The briefing has not yet been held.

Bryant also firmly rejected Beijing’s claim that the U.S. shooting down the balloon violated the “spirit of international law,” saying: “The U.S. acted under the authority and order of President Biden in accordance with international law and to defend our homeland and airspace.we shoot down that balloonDefinitely within their rights. “

U.S. military plane launches missiles to shoot down Chinese reconnaissance balloon on February 4

At a regular press conference hosted by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning on February 7, a reporter asked if the US Security Council spokesman John Kirby said there was no plan to return the balloon fragments and equipment to China. The United States has made or intends to make relevant demands. Mao Ning replied, “This airship does not belong to the United States, it belongs to China. The Chinese government will continue to resolutely safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests.” She reiterated that “China’s unmanned airship is for civilian use” and “it was entirely because of force majeure that it entered the United States by mistake.” airspace”, and said that “the U.S. side’s insistence on using force is obviously an overreaction”, but did not mention that the U.S. side “violated the spirit of international law”. On February 3, Mao Ning said at the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “China expresses regret that the airship strayed into the United States due to force majeure.”

(Associated Press, etc.)

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