People's Republic of China surveillance balloon

China Issues Statement on US Shooting Down of Balloon: “A Clear Overreaction and a Serious Violation of International Practice”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement Saturday night (Sunday morning Beijing time) on the shooting down by the U.S. of a Chinese balloon over the Atlantic Ocean after it had traversed the United States from Alaska to South Carolina this week (also over Canada).

China claims the balloon was a civilian aircraft and says it will “safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the company concerned.” China called the U.S. shooting down the balloon “a serious violation of international practice” and said it “reserves the right to make further responses if necessary.”

U.S. officials first detected the balloon and its payload on January 28 when it entered U.S. airspace near the Aleutian Islands but they didn't fess up until a citizen spotted it in the sky.

Read China's statement