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February 4, 2023 US shoots down Chinese spy balloon off East Coast

By Kathleen Magramo, Andrew Raine, Matt Meyer, Adrienne Vogt and Tori B. Powell, CNN

Updated 0545 GMT (1345 HKT) February 5, 2023

16 Posts

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11:51 a.m. ET, February 4, 2023

Biden says administration will "take care of" suspected spy balloon

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

President Joe Biden speaks on Friday, February 3, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

President Joe Biden said his administration will handle a suspected Chinese spy balloon traversing the eastern United States.

“We're gonna take care of it,” Biden said, when questioned by CNN’s Sam Fossum on whether he would shoot down the balloon.

Biden has been discussing options with military brass since first being briefed on the balloon Tuesday. His advisers warned against shooting it down over land because debris could land on people or homes.

Biden was speaking at an airfield in Syracuse, New York, where he is visiting family.

11:45 a.m. ET, February 4, 2023

Meteorology student describes spotting balloon over North Carolina

Evan Fisher, a meteorology major at UNC Asheville, saw the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon drift near the western North Carolina city this morning.

"We were expecting it to move over the western North Carolina area between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., but then to our surprise, it didn't show up until after sunrise, so I spotted it around 8:50 (a.m. ET) this morning, in the southern skies of the south of Asheville," he told CNN.

The balloon was "much larger than I expected it to be," he added.

Listen to more of the interview here:

11:38 a.m. ET, February 4, 2023

Has this sort of thing happened before? Here's a look at China’s history of spying in the US

From CNN's Zachary Cohen

While the suspected Chinese spy balloon floating over the continental United States is dominating current headlines, Beijing and Washington have a long history of spying on each other.

The US has used its own surveillance methods in China, including flying aircraft over disputed islands claimed by Beijing, using human sources and monitoring signal intercepts.

American officials have sought to distinguish US actions from what they say is more brazen spying carried out by China's government. But Chinese officials say a similar thing – repeatedly accusing the US of espionage.

Here’s what we know about Chinese spy efforts:

Balloons and satellites: A US official said Friday that there have been several other spy balloons spotted over Hawaii and Guam in recent years. But it's not clear why China would want to use a balloon rather than a satellite to gather information. Modern satellite technology has enabled the gathering of overflight intelligence data from space, and Beijing already uses that technology to monitor the US, according to the Pentagon.
Cell towers: Some cellphone towers around the US still use Chinese technology that security experts have warned could be handing China intelligence. The towers could also potentially allow Beijing to mount network attacks. The tech is shunned by major US wireless carriers and the federal government, but widely deployed by a number of smaller wireless carriers. In some cases, those cell networks provide coverage to rural areas near US military bases, CNN previously reported.
Land purchases: Federal officials have also investigated Chinese land purchases near critical infrastructure. Since 2017, the US has shut down a regional consulate believed to be a hotbed of Chinese spies and also stonewalled what it saw as efforts to plant listening devices near sensitive facilities. The US also nixed plans for Beijing to build an ornate Chinese garden at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC. Intelligence officials warned it would have been a perfect place to conduct surveillance near the US Capitol.
Students, business people and scientists: CNN has also reported that Beijing has used expatriate Chinese scientists, businesspeople and even students as spies in the US, according to current and former US intelligence officials. There have been a number of high-profile arrests in cases of this kind.

Read more on the history of US-China spying here.

11:45 a.m. ET, February 4, 2023

The suspected surveillance balloon is now above Charlotte, CNN affiliate shows

From CNN’s Keith Allen and Colin Jeffery

The suspected Chinese spy balloon appears above Charlotte. (WSOC)

The suspected Chinese spy balloon appears to be drifting further eastward in North Carolina and is now over Charlotte, according to aerial footage from CNN affiliate WSOC.

CNN has reached out to the Charlotte mayor’s office Saturday morning.

10:12 a.m. ET, February 4, 2023

Video shows suspected spy balloon over North Carolina

From CNN's Caroll Alvarado

The suspected Chinese spy balloon was spotted in the sky over Asheville, North Carolina, Saturday morning, according to video shared with CNN from Twitter.

The video was captured on Saturday morning at 8:40 a.m. ET, Asheville-area resident Kim Hixson told CNN.

CNN has reached out to both the Asheville mayor’s office and North Carolina governor’s office Saturday morning regarding the sighting.

10:03 a.m. ET, February 4, 2023

See the projected path of the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

From CNN's Dave Hennen, Katie Bo Lillis and Oren Liebermann

The suspected Chinese spy balloon is expected to continue east and could leave the continental US Saturday morning, based off a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association weather model.

The projection as of Friday night had the balloon moving off the coast near the Outer Banks.

Two US defense officials also told CNN the balloon was expected to reach the East Coast and then pass out to sea in the southeast, near the Carolinas, with one official saying it could exit the eastern seaboard on Saturday.

There has been no official word yet on any specific location of the balloon Saturday morning.

The NOAA weather model known as HYSPLIT is used to simulate the dispersion or trajectory of substances dispersed into the atmosphere. It's provided analysts with insights on the balloon's expected movements, based on its previous locations.

This was the anticipated trajectory, as of Friday evening:

5:56 p.m. ET, February 4, 2023

Here's what we know about the suspected Chinese spy balloon

By CNN Staff

A suspected Chinese surveillance balloon in the skies over the continental United States has sparked national security concerns, adding to already tense diplomatic relations.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has responded by postponing his highly anticipated trip to China, saying Friday that the high-altitude balloon entering US airspace had “created the conditions that undermine the purpose of the trip.”

Blinken dubbed it an “irresponsible act." China, meanwhile, denies the balloon is involved in any kind of espionage, claiming it is a "civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes" that has been blown off course.

Here's what we know so far:

Where it's headed: The balloon could exit the east coast of the United States as early as Saturday morning, based off a NOAA weather model. Two US defense officials have told CNN the balloon is expected to reach the East Coast and then pass out to sea in the southeast, near the Carolinas. US officials had said previously that the flight path of the balloon, first spotted over Montana on Thursday, could potentially take it over a “number of sensitive sites” and they were taking steps to “protect against foreign intelligence collection.”
The US has not ruled out shooting it down: US President Joe Biden and national security team officials have discussed options including shooting the balloon down, according to a senior administration official. Earlier, the military had advised against shooting down the balloon due to the risk of falling debris, but the situation could change as the balloon moves towards the East Coast.
About the balloon: The substructure beneath the Chinese spy balloon, believed by officials to be the steering and surveillance apparatus, is roughly the length of three city buses.
China’s response: China claims the balloon is a civilian research vessel that has been blown off course. A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry described the situation Saturday as an "accident." It was "entirely an unexpected situation caused by force majeure," the spokesperson said, referring to a legal term which means "great force," and out of their control.
Second suspected spy balloon: The Pentagon said Friday evening that another Chinese spy balloon had been spotted above Latin America. It is unclear exactly where the balloon is over the continent – but a US official tells CNN it does not appear to be currently heading to the United States.

Read more here.

12:37 a.m. ET, February 4, 2023

Biden is being constantly briefed on suspected Chinese spy balloon

From CNN's Phil Mattingly

The suspected balloon flies over Billings, Montana on Wednesday. (Chas Doak/Reuters)

US President Joe Biden has been constantly briefed throughout the day on the suspected Chinese spy balloon as it hovers over the US, including calls with national security team officials, according to a senior administration official.

There was another briefing scheduled for when Biden arrived in Wilmington Friday evening.

The military options Biden asked for at the start have been maintained and updated as the situation has evolved, the official said, noting that no options had been taken off the table.

Why hasn't the US shot down the suspected spy balloon? Biden and national security team officials have discussed options including shooting the balloon down, the official said.

Earlier, the military had advised against shooting down the balloon due to the risk of falling debris, but the situation could change as the balloon moves towards the East Coast.

The official said multiple options were being considered, but declined to detail what those options may include.

2:38 a.m. ET, February 4, 2023

Substructure beneath the balloon is length of three city buses

From CNN's Katie Bo Lillis

The substructure beneath the Chinese spy balloon, believed by officials to be the steering and surveillance apparatus, is roughly 90 feet, according to a defense official. That's roughly the length of three city buses.

The balloon carrying that substructure is significantly larger and taller, the source said.

Earlier Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the balloon has a "large payload underneath the surveillance component." He compared it to a basket under a blimp.

In terms of size, Ryder had said the balloon is big enough that officials are worried about potential debris possibly hurting people on the ground if the US were to shoot it down.