He also acknowledged, like other American officials before him, that “nothing for the moment” only showed three more”objects“destroyed on February 10, 11 and 12 and for the time being unidentified, were “linked to the Chinese spy balloon program”. “These three objects are probably related to private companies, leisure activities or research institutions” scientist, said the American president.
The overflight of American territory by this aircraft, which Washington accused of espionage, had prompted the cancellation in extremis of a rare visit to Beijing by American Secretary of State Antony Blinken. China, for its part, expressed its “strong dissatisfaction” after the American fighter shot down the aircraft, a simple weather research balloon having drifted involuntarily in American airspace according to it.