China expressed protest in the wake of the U.S. shooting down a high-altitude balloon that China said was for weather research, but the U.S. said was for spying. Earlier Sunday, China accused the U.S. of "seriously violating international practice."
- An Air Force fighter jet shot down the balloon on Saturday afternoon over U.S. territorial waters after it entered U.S. airspace in Montana last week, traveled across the country, and reached the Atlantic Ocean.
- Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei stated that the U.S. used force to attack a civilian unmanned airship.
- Kafei added that China "reserves the right to use necessary means to deal with similar situations."
- China insists that the balloon was for civilian use and ended up off course due to force majeure.
- Chinese state media said the head of the country's weather service was fired.
- Analysts said the move was meant to bolster Beijing's claim that it was a weather balloon.
- A second balloon with similar technical characteristics was reportedly spotted over Central and South America.
- Taiwan said on Sunday that the international community should not tolerate the Chinese balloon incident.
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