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Military tracking high-altitude balloon flying over Western U.S.


Military aircraft have spotted the balloon and determined it is not a threat, but its origin and purpose are still unknown, the officials said.

The developments come one year after tensions between the U.S. and China ratcheted to new heights after a Chinese balloon carrying sophisticated spying equipment flew over the continental U.S. for several days. The Chinese spy balloon became a major diplomatic point of contention between the U.S. and China, prompting Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a trip to Beijing in February 2023. Blinken eventually made the trip in June to try to soothe rising tensions over a number of issues, including the balloon and the Chinese military's assertiveness in the South China Sea.

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Photo of Western U.S.

Western U.S.

Photo of altitude balloon

altitude balloon