What we know about Chinese 'spy balloons'

A Chinese "spy balloon" has been sighted over Latin America, the Pentagon said on Friday, a day after a similar orb was sighted in US skies.

The balloons have raised numerous questions and raised tensions between Washington and Beijing. DW takes a look at what we know and what the impact could be.

What are they?

China insists the balloon sighted over the United States is a misguided civilian airship with only limited "self-piloting" capability. It was reportedly used primarily for meteorological surveys until winds blew it off course.

The United States, however, says it is undoubtedly a Chinese spy balloon about the size of three buses. According to the Pentagon, the balloon carries sensors and surveillance equipment, is maneuverable and has shown it can change course.

No additional information has been made public (as of publication) about whether the balloon spotted over Latin America differs from that one seen in North America. The Pentagon did not initially provide information about the second balloon's exact location.

International security expert Ian Chong told DW that while not much is known about the balloons, they could be used to gather a variety of data.

"These high altitude balloons in general have a range of functions. They can do anything from imaging to collecting samples from the air to trying to collect signals intelligence," Chong said, adding that there was still not enough information at hand to determine its exact purpose.

Where are the balloons?

The first balloon is moving eastwards over the US at an altitude of about 18,600 meters (60,000 feet). It has loitered over sensitive areas of the northwestern state of Montana where nuclear warheads are siloed, and a Pentagon spokesman said it could remain aloft over the US for "a few days."

What can the US do about it?

US officials say the Biden administration was aware of the first balloon even before it crossed into US airspace in Alaska early this week. In the first public statement on Thursday evening, Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the balloon was not a military or physical threat, implying it does not carry weapons.

He also added that "once the balloon was detected, the US government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information.''

According to US officials, President Joe Biden initially wanted to shoot the balloon down, but top Pentagon leaders strongly advised Biden against that move because of risks to the safety of people on the ground, and the president agreed.

How will balloons affect US-Chinese relations?

The balloon has already prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone his trip to Beijing. The visit will be rescheduled once circumstances permit, a senior State Department official said on Friday.

Earlier, Blinken called China's actions "irresponsible" and "unacceptable." He said the world expects the US and China to manage their relationship responsibly. The US does so and expects the same from China, Blinken said.

On Saturday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that "China ... never violated the territory and airspace of any sovereign country," adding that "some politicians and media in the United States used the incident as a pretext to attack and smear China."

Both countries insisted on continuing to maintain open channels of communication.

Wen-Ti Sung, a political scientist at the Australian National University, told DW that the incident shows "how shaky" relations are between China and the US.

"If even such a relatively minor incident could derail a long-anticipated visit at this level, that shows they still find it difficult to trust each other as dependable long-term partners," he said.

He added that China will also need to find ways to improve relations with US lawmakers, as the State Department statement noted that Blinken's postponement came following consultations with Congress.

"This signals the major reason behind the US decision to postpone the trip has to do with Congressional pressure," he said, noting that President Joe Biden's administration would have likely faced criticism from Republican lawmakers.

DW's William Yang contributed reporting from Taipeh

rs, dh/sms (AP, AFP, dpa)