US shoots down Chinese balloon in spying incident, tensions rise between the two nations

Washington: The Biden administration has revealed that the Chinese balloon shot down by the US was part of a large, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted over 40 countries.

The balloons, operated under the People's Liberation Army, are equipped with high-tech equipment designed to gather sensitive information.

The US has declared the program to be spying and not meteorological, as China claims.

Republicans have criticised President Joe Biden for not acting sooner to down the balloon, but both parties' lawmakers came together to condemn China for a "brazen violation" of US sovereignty.

The US will explore taking action against entities connected to the Chinese military that supported the flight of a Chinese spy balloon into US airspace.

Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, pressed Sherman on what steps the US government planned to take in response to the incident.

Sherman responded by saying that the US was looking at a range of options, including diplomatic measures and economic sanctions.

The incident has increased tensions between the US and China, which were already strained over a number of issues, including human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and the ongoing trade war between the two nations.

The US has accused China of engaging in a range of malign activities, including cyberattacks, intellectual property theft, and espionage.

The Biden administration has pledged to take a tough stance on China, and has called for a coordinated international response to Chinese aggression.

The incident has also highlighted the growing importance of aerial surveillance in modern warfare.

Balloons, drones, and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used for intelligence gathering, and their use is likely to become more widespread in the coming years.

The US military has invested heavily in developing UAV technology and has used drones to carry out targeted killings in countries such as Afghanistan and Yemen.

However, the incident with the Chinese balloon shows that the US is not the only country that is using aerial surveillance to gather intelligence, and that it faces a growing challenge from rival powers such as China and Russia.

As the investigation into the incident continues, it is likely that more details will emerge about the Chinese surveillance program, and the extent of China's intelligence-gathering operations.

The incident has once again highlighted the complex and rapidly evolving nature of modern warfare, and the growing importance of intelligence gathering in global conflicts.