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Opinion | US-China ‘balloongate’ fallout should hasten a review of near-space use
- Reports of spy balloons and other unidentified objects drifting through countries’ airspace call for making near-space use more consensual and transparent
- Meanwhile, the breakdown in trust between the world’s two major powers bodes ill for a world weary after years of pandemic and conflict
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US President Joe Biden delivered the annual State of the Union address on February 7, and the references to China point to the emergence of what could be described as a low-intensity war between the world’s two major powers. This bodes ill for a pandemic-scarred, conflict-weary world seeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine lurch into the second year of a war that began last February 24.
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Biden, who is likely to seek re-election next year, said in his address, “I am committed to work with China where it can advance American interests and benefit the world. But make no mistake: as we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did.”
This was in reference to the United States shooting down a Chinese balloon believed to be on a covert spying mission on February 4. In the following week, US fighter jets shot down three more objects over North America.
Subsequently, China reported an unidentified flying object near Qingdao and local authorities indicated it would be brought down. Beijing also claims the US illegally flew spy balloons over China “more than 10 times” since early 2022.
On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin denounced US “irresponsible and seriously wrong” practices and said Beijing reserved the right to take “necessary” measures in response. A war of words is gaining traction amid visible deterioration in US-China relations.
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Biden said during his address, “Let’s be clear: winning the competition with China should unite all of us. We face serious challenges across the world.” A few days later, in a rare moment of bipartisanship, the US House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Chinese balloon’s incursion into US airspace and describing it as a violation of US sovereignty.
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