State Department spokesman Ned Price called out China for sending a spy balloon above the U.S.
RELATED: Chinese spy balloon shot down by US Air Force over Atlantic Ocean https://bit.ly/3x9E1fT
The Pentagon did not shoot down the Chinese balloon as it approached Alaska in late January because it did not pose a military threat to the United States or Canada, the top commander for defending the United States said Monday.
The balloon, which Pentagon officials said was built to spy on sensitive military sites, was shot down Saturday off the coast of South Carolina after entering the country in Alaska. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, briefed reporters on the decision to allow the balloon to track across the United States, recovery efforts and previous balloon incursions.
The balloon captivated Americans’ attention, fueled rage on Capitol Hill and created a diplomatic rupture with China. Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned trip to China as the balloon floated over the United States.
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