The second spy balloon also comes from China

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Spy balloons, made in China – here is the model that has since been shot down over the USA

Photo:

Larry Mayer / dpa

The United States shot down a first spy balloon off its east coast on Sunday, and a second is still in the air over Latin America.

The first model was identified as Chinese after launch.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing has now admitted that the other balloon discovered over Colombia also comes from China.

In both cases, China argues that the balloons are merely civilian scientific objects that have been blown far off course by westerly wind drift and inadequate navigation.

Washington, on the other hand, accuses China of wanting to use the balloon to spy on important military facilities.

On Thursday evening, the Pentagon announced for the first time that such a balloon had been in US airspace for days (read here what a balloon is good for espionage).

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled his planned trip to China for the next few days on Friday.

Blinken sharply criticized China for its behavior.

The United States finally shot down the balloon with a rocket on Sunday off the Atlantic coast of South Carolina.

After the balloon was shot down over the USA, the debris was recovered.

The Federal Police FBI is involved in the evaluation.

The wreckage lay about 11 kilometers offshore in relatively shallow water.

Divers are already on site.

The People's Republic was angry about the launch of the first balloon.

The penetration of the balloon was only an "accident" that happened due to "force majeure".

"The facts are clear and cannot be distorted." Nevertheless, the US "played deaf" and insisted on "abusing force against a civilian airship that was about to leave US airspace."

It was an "obvious overreaction" and violated "the spirit of international law and international norms".

The Chinese government reserves the right to respond as necessary.

Similar to the incident with the balloon over the USA, Beijing's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said about the second balloon that due to the weather and limited control options, it had inadvertently entered the airspace of Latin American countries during a "flight attempt".

China informed the countries.

mrc/dpa