In late January and early February 2023, the sighting of a white, spherical object drifting across the United States captivated the public and alarmed the military. While Beijing claimed it was a civilian meteorological research airship that blew off course, U.S. officials identified it as a sophisticated surveillance craft equipped with antennas capable of collecting signals intelligence (SIGINT). The Significance of the Archive
Open-source intelligence gathered by amateur trackers, including high-resolution photography and flight path telemetry. Chinese balloon.7z
A repository of the communications between the U.S. State Department and the Chinese Foreign Ministry as the crisis unfolded. Impact on Global Relations In late January and early February 2023, the