China's Spy Balloon Called There Is Link To US Internet Providers

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The United States accused Chinese spy planes passing over the US earlier this year of communicating with China through US-based internet provider services.

A US intelligence official who did not wish to be named suspected that, based on an investigation, a US internet company provided services so that the Chinese balloon continued to communicate, NBC News said on Friday.

Quoted from Antara, Sunday, the official reported that the internet company was used to send and receive information from China through the balloon.

In an internal investigation, the company whose name was not named on the grounds of security stated that there was no evidence to support the allegations.

As we have explained earlier, the plane, which was used for meteorological research, accidentally flew over the US due to the west wind and limited self-driving capabilities, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington said.

On February 3, the Pentagon reported that intelligence balloons above China's altitude flew over the US continent and passed sensitive military facilities, including nuclear warhead depots and long-range missiles in the state of Montana.

China revealed the balloon was a civilian vehicle used for meteorological research that accidentally flew into US airspace due to a lack of control capability, due to the wind.

Beijing's explanation does not satisfy Washington. On February 4, when it was over the Atlantic Ocean, the balloon was shot by US military aircraft over American territorial waters, on the orders of President Joe Biden.

China then protested against the US for "using force to overcome unmanned civilian air rides".