China not expected to escalate row over shooting down of ‘spy balloon’

Name: ‘A clear overreaction’: Beijing rebukes Washington for shooting down Chinese balloon
Uploaded: 2023-02-06T14:00:19.000Z
Duration: 2 min 43 s
Description: ‘A clear overreaction’: Beijing rebukes Washington for shooting down Chinese balloon

Beijing has criticised the decision, but defence analysts generally believe it will not seek tit-for-tat revenge

Many in China regard the use of the F-22 to bring down the balloon an overreaction, but experts say it made sense from a technical point of view

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The balloon was brought down by an F-22 fighter jet. Photo: Reuters

Minnie Chan

Published: 10:00pm, 6 Feb 2023Updated: 10:57pm, 6 Feb 2023

Beijing is unlikely to escalate tensions following the shooting down of a suspected spy balloon, according to military analysts, who said the decision was probably taken with an eye on American public opinion.

Many in China may regard the decision to use the US Air Force’s most advanced fighter, the F-22 Raptor, as unnecessary but the observers said the move made sense from an American perspective.

02:43

‘A clear overreaction’: Beijing rebukes Washington for shooting down Chinese balloon

China insists the balloon was used for weather research and had been blown off course, but the United States says it had been used for surveillance. The row it generated prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to pull out of a proposed visit to China.

“US President Joe Biden was forced to make the balloon controversy a big deal, as it has already been stirred up by his Republican rivals as a big issue,” said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international affairs at Beijing’s Renmin University.

“The Biden administration aimed to achieve two political aims – warning China against more intrusions into US territory, as well as showing the Republicans and the American public his determination and ability to safeguard the US’ national security and territory sovereignty with a hardline China policy.”

Shi said the balloon controversy had handed “powerful ammunition” to China hawks in Congress ahead of a hearing of the House armed services committee on Tuesday.

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