White House Says Chinese 'Surveillance' Balloons Operated Over 'Five Continents': Report

The White House stated that China has a global fleet of espionage balloons similar to the one shot down last week after crossing the United States.

A ship scans the sea during efforts to retrieve and recover the Chinese spy balloon after Chinese spy balloon was shot down in Myrtle Beach SC, United States on February 05, 2023.

Source : Getty

China has a global fleet of espionage balloons similar to the one shot down last week after crossing the United States, the White House said on Wednesday, news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. 

"These balloons are all part of a (Chinese)… fleet of balloons developed to conduct surveillance operations,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One. “Over the past several years, Chinese balloons have previously been spotted all over countries across five continents," according to the AFP report.

According to the media reports, China has deployed a fleet of spy balloons targeting numerous countries, including India and Japan, just days after the US Navy shot down a Chinese surveillance craft flying over sensitive assets in the country.

The United States has briefed its friends and allies, including India, about the discovery of the Chinese surveillance balloon, which was shot down by a fighter jet in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman briefed officials from about 40 embassies in Washington on the situation on Monday.

"The surveillance balloon effort has collected intelligence on military assets in countries and territories of rising strategic relevance to China, including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines," The Washington Post said on February 7.

The claim was based on talks with multiple anonymous defence and intelligence officials, according to the Post.

These surveillance airships, which are operated in part by the PLA (People's Liberation Army) air force, have been sighted over five continents, the daily reported quoting officials. 

"These balloons are all part of a fleet of balloons developed by PRC (People's Republic of China) to conduct surveillance activities, which also violated the sovereignty of other countries," a senior defence official was cited as saying in the report.

In addition to the one recorded last week, at least four balloons have been sighted over Hawaii, Florida, Texas, and Guam in recent years, according to the daily.

Three of the four incidents occurred during the Trump administration but were just recently recognised as Chinese surveillance airships, according to the report.

The Pentagon shared a series of photos of the high-altitude surveillance balloon's recovery on Tuesday.

(With Inputs From Agencies)