China on Tuesday (14) asked the United States to conduct a “full investigation” after Beijing reported a series of incursions into its airspace by American balloons.
Relations between the United States and Beijing became strained after Washington shot down, on February 4, an object it claimed was a Chinese spy balloon. China claims it was a meteorological device that deviated from its trajectory.
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After this first incident, several objects were shot down in North America, but the United States did not attribute them to China.
Beijing on Tuesday accused the United States – without providing evidence – of having sent about 10 flying devices since last year.
“The United States should conduct a very thorough investigation and give China an explanation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
Read more on this subject: Balloon that flew over Latin America is Chinese, Beijing confirms
Wang did not provide evidence about the alleged incursions, but said they began in May 2022. He had previously reported that they began in January of that year.
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The US government denies Beijing’s claims that it sent observation objects into the Asian country’s airspace.
The US government claims that the balloon shot down on February 4 is part of a “fleet” of Chinese spy devices.
