The Chinese spy balloon that floated across the United States last week before being shot down off the South Carolina coast was equipped with antennas and other intelligence-gathering materials.
A senior State Department official said Thursday that the balloon also carried large solar panels capable of running various intelligence-collection sensors, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The latest US assessment contradicts China’s official claims that the balloon was part of a civilian meteorological research project.
In an interview with a French news network earlier this week, Chinese ambassador to Paris Lu Shaye called on the US to return the remains of the balloon that were retrieved by Navy personnel off Myrtle Beach.
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“If a person picks up something on the street and knows who the owner is, he should return it to the owner,” Le reasoned.
The State Department insider’s statement comes as military, diplomatic, and intelligence officials are expected to brief senators on the incident Thursday.
This is a developing story; refresh the page for more updates.
