A high-altitude object has been shot by the United States over Alaska, White House said. This comes days after a Chinese balloon was shot down by the US and the fallen debris was recovered.
US NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said, “Department of Defence was tracking a high-altitude object over Alaska airspace in last 24 hours. Fighter aircraft assigned to US Northern Command took down the object within the last hour.” The incident occurred within the last hour, he said at approximately 1930 GMT. He said the object fell within the United States’ territorial space in the Arctic Ocean on the northern side of Alaska.
He added that the object was flying at an altitude of 40,000ft and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight. “Out the recommendation of the Pentagon, President Biden ordered the military to down the object,” Kirby added.
Meanwhile, a State Department US official Thursday said that the country will seek to take action against individuals or companies linked with China’s military that supported the flight of a Chinese spy balloon into the airspace last week. Washington is confident that the manufacturer of the Chinese balloon shot down by the US forces last week, had a “direct relationship” with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre repeated that the United States would look at taking action against such entities. However, the White House has not specified what measures are under consideration. Jean-Pierre told reporters the United States would also look at broader efforts to “expose and address” China’s larger surveillance activities that pose a threat to the national security of the United States as well as its allies and partners.
The FBI, which is investigating the spy balloon row, told reporters that it had obtained only limited physical evidence and did not yet have enough information to assess its capabilities.
“It’s very early for us in this process, and the evidence that has been recovered and brought to the FBI is extremely limited,” a bureau official said.
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman Thursday said that the flight of the Chinese balloon was yet another sign of Beijing’s efforts to reshape the international order.
“This irresponsible act put on full display what we’ve long recognised: that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) has become more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad,” Sherman told a hearing of Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
(With inputs from agencies)
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