Chinese Spy Balloon

List of Chinese Spy Balloon articles

Two white balloons float near a Chinese flag during a demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington.
Two white balloons float near a Chinese flag during a demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

Let’s Stop Pretending Spying Is a Big Deal

In great-power competition there is no such thing as minding one’s own business.

A man in sunglasses walks past a group of buildings.
A man in sunglasses walks past a group of buildings.

The Long Arm of China’s Overseas Influence Operations

Illegal police stations are just the tip of the iceberg.

china-spying-illustration-foreign-policy-hp
china-spying-illustration-foreign-policy-hp

China Has Been Waging a Decades-Long, All-Out Spy War

While the West was distracted, the Chinese government began an intelligence assault that never stopped.

A fighter jet flies past the remnants of a large balloon after it was shot down just off the coast of South Carolina.
A fighter jet flies past the remnants of a large balloon after it was shot down just off the coast of South Carolina.

In a World Awash in Satellites, Why Use Spy Balloons?

And what we know about China’s infamous eye in the sky.

Dalton speaks while sitting at a table alongside other U.S. officials.
Dalton speaks while sitting at a table alongside other U.S. officials.

The U.S. Overreacted to the Chinese Spy Balloon. That Scares Me.

So unused to being challenged, the United States has become so filled with anxiety over China that sober responses are becoming nearly impossible.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the press after arriving at Hagerstown Regional Airport in Hagerstown, Maryland, on Feb. 4, 2023.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the press after arriving at Hagerstown Regional Airport in Hagerstown, Maryland, on Feb. 4, 2023.

Is the U.S. Reaction to China’s Spy Balloon Overdue or Overblown?

Beijing’s botched high-altitude surveillance has provoked a backlash among Biden administration officials and the American public.

Sailors recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon.
Sailors recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon.

China’s Balloon Could Be America’s Awakening

An alarming blunder may convince the U.S. public to take Beijing’s threats seriously.

Dongfeng-41 intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles during a military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019.
Dongfeng-41 intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles during a military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019.

The United States and China Still Need to Talk About Nuclear Weapons

Biden and Blinken must not let the spy balloon controversy stand in the way of talks on nuclear crisis management and arms control.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro poses for photos in Florida.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro poses for photos in Florida.

What in the World?

Test yourself on the week of Jan. 28: Czechs vote on a new president, Bolsonaro extends his Florida exile, and a Chinese balloon causes chaos.

A high-altitude balloon floats in a blue sky.
A high-altitude balloon floats in a blue sky.

How a Chinese Spy Balloon Blew Up a Key U.S. Diplomatic Trip

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a visit to Beijing in response to a suspected spy balloon over U.S. territory.

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