Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



China says US balloons breached airspace at least 10 times
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 13 - 02 - 2023

China's Foreign Ministry says the US has flown balloons into its airspace more than 10 times in the past year.
The accusation comes after the US on Feb. 4 shot down a suspected spy balloon over its airspace, which China said was a civilian balloon.
Relations between the two countries have since deteriorated. In recent days, the US says it has also shot down a number of other unidentified objects.
Questioned on Monday, Beijing said the US had made many airspace breaches.
"It's not uncommon as well for the US to illegally enter the airspace of other countries," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a regular press briefing.
"Since last year alone, US balloons have illegally flown above China more than 10 times without any approval from Chinese authorities.
"The first thing the US side should do is start with a clean slate, undergo some self-reflection, instead of smearing and accusing China," he added.
He said Beijing had responded to the incursions in a "responsible and professional" manner.
"If you want to know more about US high-altitude balloons illegally entering China's airspace, I suggest you refer to the US side," he said.
Washington has yet to respond to the allegations from Beijing.
The first balloon incident had led US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a planned trip to Beijing. The top diplomat called China's alleged high-altitude spying "unacceptable and irresponsible".
On Sunday, the US ordered an unmanned "octagonal structure" to be downed in Michigan near the Canadian border — this was the fourth object to be taken out in eight days.
Fighter pilots also shot down smaller unidentified objects over Alaska on Feb, 10 and northern Canada on Feb. 11.
Wang said he had "no understanding of [these other objects]".
"But what we want to tell everyone here is that the US' frequent firing of advanced missiles used to strike down unidentified flying objects is an overreaction of excessive force," he said.
A US military commander, Gen. Glen VanHerck, said that there was no indication of any threat from the latest object.
He said it could be a "gaseous type of balloon" or "some type of a propulsion system", adding he could not rule out that the objects were extra-terrestrials.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the government will do "whatever it takes" to keep the country safe from the threat of spy balloons.
"We have something called the quick reaction alert force which involves Typhoon planes, which are kept on 24/7 readiness to police our airspace, which is incredibly important," he added. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.