China and the United States: The Cold War of Spy Balloons

For several days now, the United States Armed Forces have sighted and identified objects flying over their airspace. At first, Chinese spy balloons were recognized and had to be shot down immediately. However, with the passing of the days, the sightings have increased and due to the delay of the United States in recognizing them as other spy objects, the rumors of extraterrestrial material have not stopped proliferating.

However, the Pentagon itself indicated that there are no indications that these elements observed in North American airspace are extraterrestrial. Everything seems to indicate that the United States and China are entering a Cold War period through spy balloons.

One of these elements was detected some time after entering the airspace. This alerted US security, since it had apparently flown over and collected information on places where the United States keeps nuclear weapons.

Subsequently, President Joe Biden also had to order the demolition of another element that had been identified in Alaska. There is speculation that it could be another spy balloon, but because access to the item in winter is difficult, the recovery and analysis process has been slow.

The most recent event occurred over the weekend, when an unidentified object entered Canadian territory. A US Air Force F-22 plane, with the endorsement of the Prime Minister of Canada, entered the territory of the neighboring country and shot down the object. There will still be time for Canadian authorities to determine the provenance of the object.

Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand explained that the object was a cylinder flying more than 12,000 meters north of the country. The appearance could be similar to the Chinese balloon already shot down last week in the United States, but smaller.

So far, of all the devices recovered, the US authorities assure that they have material capable of surveillance. Likewise, they have not ensured that they are all of Chinese origin, although they have not ruled it out either.

China's Response

China accepted ownership of the first downed balloon last week. The Asian government assured that they were not spy balloons, but meteorological elements to analyze and investigate the weather. Additionally, China has also accused the United States of which American spy balloons have violated Chinese airspace more than 10 times this year.

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According to the US authorities, the first element is part of a fleet of balloons sent to more than 40 countries to collect information, presumably intelligence. The North American army dismisses that the elements equipped were intelligence and not meteorological.

US-China Tensions

This latest development of spy balloons further strains the weakening relations between the United States and China. From the presence of the former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, to the island of Taiwan, these two superpowers were not experiencing similar tension. These potential spy balloons show mutual suspicion. It is even because of this that the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, had to cancel a trip he had planned to China.

Both powers are expectant and wary of each other due to the war in Ukraine, where China has preferred to maintain a position of impartiality. However, its most recent rapprochement with Russia and the increase in trade relations between the two Asian giants contrast with the bad relationship it currently maintains with the United States. Likewise, there has always been a reason for caution due to the island of Taiwan, a territory allied to the United States that China recognizes as its own.

Likewise, China has also played an important role in US domestic politics. From the Republican awnings, President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, have been accused of having been financially benefited by business with the Chinese government. This is why Joe Biden's position against China may later take its toll on Congress and future elections.