Beijing has threatened to take action against American-linked entities following the shooting down of an alleged Chinese spy balloon in U.S. airspace in early February.
China maintains that the balloon, which breached U.S. airspace before eventually being shot down by American F-22s, was an unmanned weather airship that inadvertently floated off course. The event has further escalated political and economic tensions between the two powers.
Wang Wenbin, speaking on behalf of China’s Foreign Ministry at a daily briefing, made the remark in question but did not provide details or reveal which specific entities would be targeted.
Since the balloon was shot down on February 4, the U.S. has sanctioned six entities alleged to be linked to China’s domestic aerospace programs. A resolution was also passed in the U.S. House of Representatives condemning Beijing’s alleged territorial breach as part of a larger suspected spying program that has been active for years.
The measure, introduced by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), objected to “the Chinese Communist Party’s use of a high-altitude surveillance balloon over United States territory as a brazen violation of United States sovereignty.”
The resolution also accused Beijing of deceiving “the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns.”
A planned visit to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken was called off following the incident.
China is now leveling similar accusations back at the United States, claiming no less than 10 American spy balloons have entered Chinese territory since 2022.
“The United States should first reflect on itself and change course, rather than slander, discredit, or incite confrontation,” Wang said.
According to Wang, China plans to “take countermeasures in accordance with the law against the relevant U.S. entities that undermine China’s sovereignty and security.”
On February 15, Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, claimed the early-February intrusion was part of a larger pattern of aggressive behavior by the Chinese government.
Emanuel pointed to the military-grade laser allegedly used recently by Beijing on a Philippine coast guard patrol vessel. He also referred to the police stations China is accused of operating illegally overseas in countries that include the United States, which The Dallas Express has previously covered.
“The balloon, to me, is not an isolated incident,” said Emanuel.
The U.S. is reportedly far from the only country that China has been surveying. American officials say Beijing’s spy program has targeted at least 40 nations.
On February 14, Japan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed it had identified three flying objects in Japanese airspace in recent years, all of which the ministry believes likely belonged to China’s spy program.