China sacked the head of its national weather service on Saturday in a move widely seen as an effort to prove its claims that the balloon floating over the United States this weekend was an off-course weather craft.
Beijing announced the firing of Zhuang Guotai on Saturday, just hours before the United States shot down the aircraft off the coast of South Carolina. The United States is working to recover the balloon for inspection, but Beijing has maintained it was harmless and that its presence in US airspace was an accident.
“The Chinese side has, after verification, repeatedly informed the US side of the civilian nature of the airship and communicated that its entry into the United States due to major force it was completely unexpected,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
While Zhuang’s firing is seen as supporting the Chinese version of events, his impact is somewhat diminished given that he was scheduled to leave the weather service regardless. Zhuang had already won the election to head the People’s Political Consultative Committee of the western province of Gansu in late January.
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US President Joe Biden shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The pair are now dealing with a Chinese balloon shot down by the United States
(REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
A Chinese balloon soars in the sky above Billings, Montana, U.S., Feb. 1, 2023 in this image obtained from social media.
(Chase Doak/via Reuters)
China condemned the US decision to shoot down the balloon as a “clear overreaction” on Saturday.
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“China strongly disapproves and protests against the US attack on a civilian unmanned airship by force,” the foreign ministry said.
“Under the circumstances, the use of force by the United States is a clear overreaction and a gross violation of international practice,” he added. “China will resolutely safeguard the rights and legitimate interests of the relevant company, and reserves the right to provide further responses if necessary.”
Despite China’s claims, the US Department of Defense ruled that the balloon was “maneuverable, undermining the likelihood that it was flown across the Pacific to the US
Photos taken in Aynor, SC of the Chinese spy balloon being shot down.
(Fox News)
The uproar over the balloon came as Secretary of State Tony Blinken was scheduled to travel to China to meet with his counterpart and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. However, those plans have since been postponed.
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President Biden and other Democrats have argued that the balloon’s presence in US airspace was unacceptable, but the Pentagon has yet to state whether the aircraft was intended for espionage.
