NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reports "increased Chinese secret service activities in Europe" - Beijing has a "pattern".
After a suspected Chinese espionage balloon flew over the United States, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned of dangers for Europe as well.
The Chinese balloon over the US confirms a "pattern" that China has "invested heavily in new military capabilities" in recent years, Stoltenberg said at a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Wednesday (February 8).
"We have also seen increased Chinese intelligence activity in Europe," Stoltenberg said.
“They use satellites, they use cyber, and as we've seen over the US, balloons too.
So we have to be careful.”
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Rescuers collect the remains of the balloon shot down by the United States.
©US Navy/Imago
The overflight of the alleged spy balloon over the United States had led to new tensions between Washington and Beijing last week.
Foreign Minister Blinken canceled a planned trip to China without further ado.
US President Joe Biden finally had the balloon shot down by a warplane over the Atlantic on the US east coast on Saturday when the balloon was no longer over the mainland.
According to US data, several sightings of balloons from China
The debris is now being salvaged from the sea.
The USA hopes that the evaluation will provide important insights into the Chinese approach.
Meanwhile, the United States is informing its partners of its findings so far, Blinken said on Wednesday.
According to US information, Chinese balloons have been spotted over countries on five continents in recent years.
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After discovering the balloon over the United States, China said it was a civil balloon for meteorological purposes that had gone off course.
US officials have firmly denied this account, insisting it was a spy balloon.
(AFP/frs)
Rubric list image: © US Navy/Imago
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