China on Friday said that it is looking into reports that a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon has been traveling over the northern portion of the U.S. this week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.
“We have noted relevant reports and are looking into and verifying the situation,” Mao said at a daily press briefing. “What I want to emphasize is that before we have a clear understanding of the facts, speculations, and sensationalization will do no good to resolving the problem properly.”
“China is a responsible country and has always strictly abided by international laws, and China has no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign country,” she added.
U.S. defense officials confirmed on Thursday that they were monitoring a high-altitude surveillance balloon first spotted over Montana on Wednesday. The U.S. has so far held off on shooting it out of the sky amid safety concerns on the ground.
The balloon, which officials are very confident belongs to Beijing, is reportedly still hovering over the U.S. Get unlimited digital access Try 1 month for $1 CLAIM OFFER
Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters on Thursday that the surveillance balloon is flying “well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.”
Ryder also noted that the U.S. government “acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information.”
