White House Says China Spying on Dozens of Countries With Balloons

China continues to maintain a “high-altitude balloon program for intelligence collection” John Kirby, White House spokesperson, said Monday that the US has sent surveillance equipment to many countries.

Kirby confirmed that the White House could not confirm that the three objects the U.S. military has shot down are part of the program. However, recovery efforts for the devices are ongoing.

Four flying objects were shot down total by the U.S. Military, including the Chinese spy balloon, on Feb. 4. Since then, the military has shot down objects above Alaska on February 10, northern Canada on February 11, and Lake Huron in February 12.

Security concerns have been raised in Washington by the four incidents, which raise concern about China’s potential airspace intrusions. Kirby claimed that the Pentagon doesn’t track any other flying objects.

Kirby responded to the incidents by announcing that the administration would create an interagency group. “study the broader policy implications for detection, analysis, and disposition of unidentified aerial objects that pose either safety or security risks.”

As the devices were being intercepted, officials temporarily closed off portions of Montana and Lake Huron’s airspace.

Biden was criticised for allowing the Chinese spy ball to floate across the United States and then ordering its downing over the Atlantic Ocean. Last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled his planned trip to China where he was to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.