U.S. investigation of alleged spy balloon continues

The Biden Administration is continuing its investigation, which already found the balloon to be able to monitor U.S. communications and collect intelligence signals, as stated in a statement by the U.S. government. Illustration by WYATT LINCOLN, illustrator

U.S. and China relations have caught the public's eye following the takedown of a Chinese balloon Feb. 4. The alleged spy balloon was seen circulating various U.S. military sites when President Joe Biden ordered it to be shot down by fighter jets. 

The exact purpose of the balloon has raised many questions for American security officials. Even though the Pentagon has called it a “military craft,” Beijing says it was a "civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological."

Amid rising bilateral tensions, the balloon incident can be seen as part of the process of the U.S. and China assessing each other’s strengths, according to Chapman University political science professor Andrea Molle. 

"It is equivalent to people flexing muscles," Molle told The Panther. 

The U.S government’s reaction to takedown the balloon has caused diplomatic discourse.Chinese officials claim it was an overreaction, while U.S. officials believe the surveillance posed a severe threat to the country and alerted 40 allies about the Chinese surveillance programs. 

"We are aware that there have been four previous balloons that have gone over U.S. territory," Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said during a Feb. 8 briefing.

The three previous balloons flew during former President Donald Trump's presidency and one during the beginning of Biden's. 

“The balloon is already being used as a presidential campaign issue,” Molle said. “This is also an interesting aspect of the issue as the Biden administration is trying to project strength and make the GOP look weak with China instead.” 

U.S. intelligence has stated that the balloon was part of a more extensive program that is conducted over several continents. Another balloon was spotted flying over Latin America, according to a statement made by the Pentagon last Friday.  

According to Molle, it is common for countries to collect data on each other through surveillance techniques. 

"It likely went over several military bases, confirming information and collecting multiple sources of intel,” Molle said. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled his trip to Beijing following the sighting of the balloon. Blinken said that it was an “irresponsible act” and that the state department has shared information about the surveillance balloon with dozens of other countries. 

“We’re doing so because the United States was not the only target of this broader program, which has violated the sovereignty of countries across five continents,” Blinken said at a press conference on Feb. 8, alongside North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) secretary General Jens Stoltenber.

Officials from both countries viewed Blinken's visit to Beijing as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the world’s two largest economies, and increasingly, the world's two largest adversities.

The balloon was said to be 200 feet in height and was floating at 60,000 feet, according to General Glen Vanherck of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. 

Gordon Babst, another political science professor at Chapman, told The Panther that while China and the U.S. frequently spy on each other, what differentiates the two is the motive of the Chinese government. 

“China may have used this downing or had it in mind to use it were it to be shot down as it was, as a PR event for domestic consumption to bolster devotion to the ruling party leadership via suggesting that other countries really do have it in for China,” Babst told The Panther.

James Moore, a junior political science major and vice president of Chapman Democrats club, said that the situation comes as no surprise. 

“This can be seen as an opportunity to foster nationalism, as well as fuel the funding for the industrial military complex,” Moore told The Panther. 
Even though these surveillance balloons are common, the Biden administration has begun investigating the remnants of the balloon in Quantico, Virginia. U.S. Navy forces started to recover parts of the balloon on Feb. 6. According to a report by CNN, officials released information Feb. 9 that the balloon had been capable of monitoring U.S. communications.