Why didn’t Pentagon shoot down Chinese spy balloon floating over the US?

为什么五角大楼没有击落漂浮在美国上空的中国气球？

WASHINGTON: The US defense department said Thursday it’s monitoring a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon floating over the western state of Montana, underscoring mutual suspicion between the world’s two largest economies just as top diplomats prepare to hold talks in Beiing. Here’s everything we know so far:

华盛顿：2月2日，美国国防部表示，正在监控一个疑似中国的“间谍气球”，该气球漂浮在美国西部蒙大拿州上空，突显了就在高级外交官准备在北京举行会谈之际，世界上两个最大经济体之间的相互怀疑。以下是我们目前所知的一切：

 What do we know about the balloon floating over the US?

The Biden administration disclosed the balloon’s exstence on Thursday, saying it was spotted earlier the week and most recently seen floating more than 40,000 feet (12,000 meters) over Montana. The location is sensitive, since the state is home to the Air Force’s 341st Missile Wing and its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. While China hasn’t yet commented on the incident, a Defense Department spokesman said the US had high confidence it belonged to the country, without explaining why.

我们对漂浮在美国上空的气球了解多少？

拜登政府周四披露了气球的存在，称本周早些时候发现了气球，最近一次发现气球漂浮在蒙大拿州上空超过40000英尺（12000米）。由于该州是空军第341导弹联队及其民兵III洲际弹道导弹的所在地，因此该地点非常敏感。虽然中国尚未对这一事件发表评论，但国防部发言人表示，美国对它属于中国有很大的信心，但没有解释原因。

Is the balloon a security threat?

Details on the exact capabilities of this particular balloon are unclear, with a US official who briefed reporters Thursday declining to answer several questions about its size or specifications. American officials have asserted that the balloon has a limited ability to collect meaningful intelligence data, beyond what the Chinese can already gather through their satellite network. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or Norad, said Thursday it “continues to track and monitor it closely,” while Canada’s defense department said it was tracking a “potential second incident,” without elaborating.

这个气球会构成安全威胁吗？

关于这种特殊气球的确切性能的细节尚不清楚，一名美国官员向记者通报，拒绝回答有关其尺寸或规格的几个问题。美国官员声称，气球收集有意义情报数据的能力有限。北美航空航天防御司令部周四表示，“将继续密切跟踪和监 控”，而加拿大国防部表示，正在跟踪“潜在的第二起事件”，但没有详细说明

Why has China sent the balloon up now?

The Chinese have for decades complained about US surveillance by ships and spy planes near its own territory, leading to occasional confrontation over the years. And instances of Chinese balloon activity near American territory have been observed prior to Thursday’s announcement, US officials said. But it’s unclear why the balloon is flying over the US at this moment. The revelation comes just days before US secretary of state Antony Blinken’s expected visit to Beiing and risks undermining Beiing’s diplomatic efforts to create a constructive backdrop for the first US secretary of state visit to China since Michael Pompeo’s trip in 2018.

为什么中国把气球送上去？

几十年来，中国一直抱怨美国在其领土附近使用船只和间谍飞机进行监视，导致多年来偶尔发生冲突。美国官员表示，在宣布之前，已经观察到中国气球在美国领土附近活动的情况。但目前还不清楚为什么气球会在美国上空飞行。这一消息的披露距离美国国务卿布林肯预计访华仅几天，有可能破坏中方为2018年迈克尔·蓬佩奥访华以来美国国务卿首次访华创造建设性背景的外交努力。

Why hasn’t the Pentagon shot the balloon down?

Defense secretary Lloyd Austin advised President Joe Biden against shooting the balloon down because of the possible risk of falling debris. While authorities were contemplating the option when the balloon was floating over sparsely populated areas of Montana, it was assessed that the “sizable” object was large enough to cause potential damage. It’s floating well above the altitude used by civilian aircraft, so is unlikely to pose any immediate danger to the public.

五角大楼为什么没有把气球击落下来？

美国国防部长劳埃德·奥斯汀建议乔·拜登总统不要将气球击落，因为可能会有碎片坠落的风险。当气球漂浮在蒙大拿州人烟稀少的地区时，当局正在考虑这个选项，但据评估，这个“相当大”的物体足够大，足以造成潜在的损害。它漂浮在民用飞机飞行的高度以上，因此不太可能对公众造成直接危险。

How has the US responded?

The senior official said the US had raised the balloon issue with China, and the Wall Street Journal reported that the state department had summoned the Chinese charge d’affaires. It wasn’t immediate clear if the incident would affect Blinken’s planned trip to China. meanwhile, are pushing Biden for a stronger response, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy calling the incursion a “brazen disregard for US sovereignty.”

美国如何回应？

这位高级官员表示，美国已经向中国提出了气球问题，《华尔街日报》报道称，美国国务院已经召见了中国代办。目前尚不清楚这一事件是否会影响布林肯计划的中国之行。与此同时，共和党人正在敦促拜登做出更有力的回应，众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡称此次入侵是“公然无视美国主权”

以下是印度时报读者的评论：

mmmm

One won't find a country which is not spying on others. All countries around the world spy on others, and only the mode differs according to their money and muscle powers.

你找不到哪个国家不监视其他国家的。世界上所有国家都在监视其他国家，只是根据自身的资金和肌肉实力，监视的模式有所不同。

Pangamba Meitei

USA intelligence has wrongly identified as Chinese spy baloon without any proof. It is just a baloon I had sent for my friend's birthday.

美国情报部门在没有任何证据的情况下错误地说是“间谍气球”。其实，这只是我送给朋友生日的一个气球。

Sreekanth

Better you file a PIL in the Indian Supreme Court as the above is nowadays investigating anything under the sun.

你最好向印度最高法院提交一份诉状，上述机构目前正在对所有案件进行调查。

Ashfaq Ahmed

Intelligence gathering is not a new phenomena. Rival countries keep surveillance of each other in war and peace times. This helps them to formulate their policies against each other. The methods and equipment keeps changing. Nothing to worry about.

情报收集不是现在才有的现象。敌对国家在战争和和平时期都互相监视。这有助于制定针对彼此的政策。监视的方法和设备不断变化而已。没什么好担心的。

Praveen Kumar

US getting what it has been doing to others for all these years. US has been always thinking whatever they did was right and what others did need not be

美国这些年来对其他国家所做的一切，如今也发生在美国身上了。美国一直认为他们所做的一切都是正确的，而其他人所做的不一定是正确的

Rajeev

who knows if it has covid like virus in it. US won't be silent on this and would be working on its best manner to handle this situation. China is taking all round panga with everyone. it has become a Gunda .. but why ?

谁知道里面是否有类似新冠肺炎的病毒。美国不会对此保持沉默的，会以最佳方式处理。

Sathasivan Nagarajan

Mischief by china inside the territory of US like what it did other neibours including India.

中国在美国领土内的恶作剧，他们对包括印度在内的其他邻国也是这样做的

Guest

What is the danger of shooting it down? Montana is anyway sparsely populated. Taking debris should not be a cause for concern.

击落它有什么危险？蒙大拿州人口稀少。不应该担心碎片被带走

GUEST

It’s full of chicken chow mein. If shot down there will be Too much mess.

里面装的全是鸡肉炒面。如果击落它，会散落一地的

KALYANANARAMAN SANTANAM

how they know it is a chinese ballon ?

他们是怎么知道这个是中国的气球

Shiv

It says “Made in China” on the outside.

外面有贴着“中国制造”的标签啊

Avtaar

am sure it's a non military prank balloon... chicken Americans are a scared lot.

我确信这是一个非军事用途的恶作剧性质的气球。美国人吓坏了

User buch

If China could send spy baoon on mighty adversary, USA, one has to imagine its spying activity over other lesser mighty countries

all countries should unite against China and reduce buying Chinese goods to zero.

如果中国能够向强大的对手美国派遣间谍部队，人们就不得不想象他们对其他弱小国家的间谍活动。

所有国家都应该团结起来反华，抵制中国货

Christopher Paul

Atleast 500 million Indians use Chinese Mobiles and Products.

至少有5亿印度人使用中国的手机和其他产品。

Tim Hudson

This is a provocative act on part of China (even if it is only a weather baloon). The same applies to the USA too, that provokes China military by flying its aircrafts way close to Chinese airspace (at one time even resulting in a mid-air collision)

这是中国的一种挑衅行为（即使只是一个研究气候的气球）。同样地，美国也在挑战中国，美国飞机飞得离中国领空太近（有时甚至导致空中相撞），居然挑衅中国军方。

Useroni

I imagine that they are looking at ways to bring it down in a controlled fashion so as to inspect its contents.

我想他们（美国人）正在寻找办法，找到一种可控的方式将气球拉下来，方便检查里面装的是什么东西

Sundara Sundara

Uncle Sam's hand tied due to lack of courageous action. They are looking always so called Strategic Partners " to fight. Jago Jago.

山姆大叔因缺乏勇气而手足无措。他们总是指望所谓的“战略伙伴”去战斗