A fighter jet flies past the remnants of a large balloon after it was shot down above the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. Photo: Chad Fish via AP
A fighter jet flies past the remnants of a large balloon after it was shot down above the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. Photo: Chad Fish via AP
US-China relations
China /  Diplomacy

Sovereign airspace, and beyond: downed balloon raises legal questions

  • US could shoot a Chinese balloon down since it was clearly in its airspace, international law experts say
  • But the incident presages further disputes about high-altitude encounters – and the law is unsettled

Bochen Han
Bochen Han in Washington

Updated: 1:47am, 17 Feb, 2023

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A fighter jet flies past the remnants of a large balloon after it was shot down above the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. Photo: Chad Fish via AP
A fighter jet flies past the remnants of a large balloon after it was shot down above the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. Photo: Chad Fish via AP
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