US President Joe Biden has tried to give a little more clarity in a press conference about the flying objects that the US military has shot out of the sky in recent days. He was resolute about the big Chinese balloon: ‘I do not apologize to China for bringing it down.’ About the other, smaller flying objects: ‘They will probably be linked to private companies or research institutions.’
America shot down the Chinese balloon on February 4. The remains of the great colossus were salvaged. A Chinese spy balloon, according to the Americans, although the Chinese deny this and say that it was a drifted balloon that made meteorological measurements. According to Biden, this balloon has not been able to collect sensitive information.
“We are looking for competition with China and not conflict. We are not looking for another Cold War. But I don’t apologize for bringing that balloon down,” Biden said during Thursday’s press conference. “We will continue to fight against China.” The American also said he expects to talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping soon.
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Smaller objects
In the week after the balloon’s downing, over the US and Canada were also several smaller ‘flying objects’ seen and shot down. “We are talking about objects and not balloons for a reason,” Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad), said earlier. President Biden said on Thursday that America was acting out of “great precaution.” The objects were a threat to commercial air traffic. “If objects pose a threat to the Americans, I will take them down.”
According to the president, the first information from intelligence services shows that the objects belonged to private companies or research institutions. Furthermore, it is not yet clear exactly what objects were involved, but “nothing indicates that they belong to China and are part of the Chinese spy balloon program.”
Biden said authorities do not see a sudden increase in unidentified objects over America. However, measures will be taken to detect them sooner.
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