The Biden Administration has come forward to shed light on a massive aerial spy program that has been targeting over 40 countries globally. The program is believed to be backed by China’s military and has used high-altitude surveillance balloons, similar to the one the U.S. shot down over the Atlantic coast last weekend.
According to a senior State Department official, China’s People’s Liberation Army is behind this vast surveillance program that can collect sensitive intelligence. The details are aimed at refuting China’s repeated statements that the balloon was not used for spying purposes, including their recent claim that the U.S. accusations amount to “information warfare” against Beijing.
U.S. officials have come forward with solid evidence, in the form of imagery collected by American U-2 spy planes, that shows the balloon was indeed capable of conducting signals intelligence collection. The balloon was equipped with multiple antennas, solar panels, and other equipment designed to upload sensitive information.
According to the official, the debris from the balloon is “inconsistent” with China’s explanation. The U.S. is now reaching out to other countries that have also been targeted to discuss the scope of the Chinese surveillance program.
The senior State Department official spoke on condition of anonymity to reporters due to the sensitive nature of the matter, which has already forced Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel his trip to China earlier this week.
