China says more than 10 high-altitude US balloons flew over its airspace

BEIJING, Feb 13 (Reuters) – China said on Monday that U.S. hot air balloons had flown over its airspace without permission more than 10 times since early January 2022.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, in response to a question at a regular press briefing in Beijing, did not provide further details.

Asked about China’s response to the balloons, Wang said China’s response to such incidents is responsible and professional.

China’s claim comes after the United States shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina earlier this month. Beijing claims it was a civilian research vessel and accuses Washington of exaggerating.

The US military subsequently shot down three more flying objects over North America.

(Reporting from the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Editing in Spanish by José Muñoz in the Gdansk newsroom)