China urges 'calm' as Pentagon says second spy balloon spotted over Latin America

4 February 2023, 15:34

China has urged "calm" amid a dispute over a giant Chinese balloon which is sailing high above the US.

The balloon has led to Pentagon accusations of spying on sensitive military sites, despite China's firm denials, and prompted US secretary of state Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a high-stakes Beijing trip aimed at easing tensions with China.

It was spotted earlier over Montana, which is home to one of America's three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base, defence officials said.

Later on Friday, the Pentagon acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America.

"We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon," said Pentagon press secretary brigadier general Pat Ryder.

He declined to offer further information such as where it was spotted.

Read more: US secretary of state postpones Beijing visit after Chinese spy balloon tracked flying across American airspace

The US had been tracking the initial balloon since at least Tuesday, when President Joe Biden was first briefed, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

According to three US officials, Mr Biden was initially inclined to order the surveillance balloon to be blown out of the sky, and a senior defence official said the US had prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot it down if ordered.

It was not the first time Chinese surveillance balloons have been tracked over US territory, including at least once during former president Donald Trump's administration, officials said.

Mr Blinken's trip cancellation came despite China's claim that the balloon was merely a weather research "airship" that had blown off course.

The Pentagon rejected that out of hand - as well as China's contention that the balloon was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.

Mr Blinken, who had been due to visit Beijing on Friday, said he had told senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in a phone call that sending the balloon over the US was "an irresponsible act and that (China's) decision to take this action on the eve of my visit is detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have".

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday morning: "In actuality, the US and China have never announced any visit. The US making any such announcement is their own business, and we respect that."

According to Beijing, Mr Wang said China "has always strictly followed international law, we do not accept any groundless speculation and hype. Faced with unexpected situations, both parties need to keep calm, communicate in a timely manner, avoid misjudgments and manage differences".