The Chinese spy balloon shot down over the US in 2023

Gone quiet · last story Jun 29, 2023

In early February 2023 the Pentagon said it was tracking a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon over the continental United States, and on Feb. 4 a US fighter jet shot it down off the coast of South Carolina.[1][2] China called the US accusations "information warfare," and the incident led Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a trip to Beijing.[3][4]

What this arc covers

The Chinese surveillance balloon that crossed the United States in early 2023 before a US fighter jet shot it down on Feb. 4; the other aerial objects shot down that month, the recovery of the debris and what it revealed, and the diplomatic rupture with China, from Blinken's postponed trip to his eventual visit.

Earliest story we hold Feb 2, 2023 · 40 stories · 139 sources (counted once each) · 147 days

Part ofPeople's Republic of ChinaJoe BidenAntony BlinkenBeijingMontanaUnited States NavyKamala HarrisJack Teixeira
Photo from MyNorthwest, with US Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon (Feb 4, 2023), the story with the most sources this week.

Background

US intelligence officials said the balloon was part of an extensive Chinese military surveillance operation,[5] and the United States blacklisted six Chinese entities linked to it.[6] In the week after, US warplanes shot down three more objects over North America, which President Joe Biden said did not appear to be tied to China's program,[7][8] and China accused the United States of flying its own balloons into Chinese airspace.[9]

The military finished recovering the debris later in February.[10] In June 2023 the Pentagon said the balloon had not collected intelligence while it flew over the United States.[11]

Supporting stories (11)
  1. Chinese spy balloon spotted over Western US, Pentagon says
  2. U.S. Navy releases photos of Chinese spy balloon recovery effort
  3. Beijing calls US claims over balloons 'information warfare'
  4. Blinken postpones China trip after discovery of surveillance balloon
  5. U.S. says China balloon could collect intelligence signals
  6. U.S. blacklists 6 Chinese entities over balloon program
  7. Were they spy balloons? UFOs? Rumors swirl around objects down by US planes
  8. Biden addresses Chinese 'spy' balloon, other aerial objects
  9. China says more than 10 U.S. balloons have flown in its airspace over past year
  10. Military completes recovery of Chinese balloon debris
  11. Chinese surveillance balloon used American technology, but U.S. says it didn't collect info

Overview updated Oct 31, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Jun 29– 302023Chinese surveillance balloon used American technology, but U.S. says it didn't collect info41 articles · 24 sources
4 left, 11 center, 6 right
Jun 6– 92023Blinken to travel to China next week, carrying out trip postponed after spy balloon incident13 articles · 13 sources
3 left, 5 center, 4 right
Apr 152023Pentagon docs allegedly leaked by Jack Teixeira reveal at least 4 additional Chinese spy balloons: report6 articles · 6 sources
0 left, 1 center, 4 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Feb 2 – 3, 2023Chinese spy balloon spotted over Western US, Pentagon says267 articles · 77 sources
  2. Feb 3 – 4, 2023Blinken postpones China trip after discovery of surveillance balloon123 articles · 58 sources
    1. Feb 3, 2023Blinken postpones China trip following balloon discovery
    2. Feb 4, 2023Suspected spy balloon roils US-China diplomatic relations: 'The gap is huge'
  3. Feb 4 – 6, 2023US Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon411 articles · 97 sources
    1. Feb 4, 2023US downs Chinese balloon, drawing a threat from China
    2. Feb 6, 2023China accuses US of indiscriminate use of force over balloon
  4. Feb 5 – 10, 2023U.S. says China balloon could collect intelligence signals90 articles · 40 sources
    1. Feb 8, 2023Spy balloon part of a broader Chinese military surveillance operation, US intel sources say
    2. Feb 9, 2023US says China balloon could collect intelligence signals
    3. Feb 10, 2023Balloon could detect intelligence signals, U.S. says
  5. Feb 13, 2023China says more than 10 U.S. balloons have flown in its airspace over past year59 articles · 40 sources
  6. Feb 14 – 18, 2023Military completes recovery of Chinese balloon debris75 articles · 35 sources
  7. Feb 22 – 23, 2023New Photo Shows US Spy Plane Pilot's Selfie With Chinese Balloon76 articles · 32 sources

Who covered it, over timeshare of the sources publishing each week, by side

Jan 30, 2023 - Jul 2, 2023

Share of the sources publishing each week that covered it

0%20%40%60%80%100%
Arrow keys move between weeks.
Jan 30, 2023Jun 26, 2023

LeftCenterRight

Week of Jun 26, 2023 - Jul 2, 2023: 4 left, 11 center, 6 right, 8% of the sources that published that week · 38 articles

Show every week as a table
WeekLeftCenterRightArticlesShare
Jan 30, 2023 - Feb 5, 202330472574754%
Feb 6, 2023 - Feb 12, 202325422547249%
Feb 13, 2023 - Feb 19, 202322372637947%
Feb 20, 2023 - Feb 26, 202351957316%
Feb 27, 2023 - Mar 5, 202300000%
Mar 6, 2023 - Mar 12, 202300000%
Mar 13, 2023 - Mar 19, 202300000%
Mar 20, 2023 - Mar 26, 202300000%
Mar 27, 2023 - Apr 2, 202300000%
Apr 3, 2023 - Apr 9, 20233711258%
Apr 10, 2023 - Apr 16, 202301452%
Apr 17, 2023 - Apr 23, 202300000%
Apr 24, 2023 - Apr 30, 202300000%
May 1, 2023 - May 7, 202300000%
May 8, 2023 - May 14, 202300000%
May 15, 2023 - May 21, 202300000%
May 22, 2023 - May 28, 202300000%
May 29, 2023 - Jun 4, 202300000%
Jun 5, 2023 - Jun 11, 2023354125%
Jun 12, 2023 - Jun 18, 202300000%
Jun 19, 2023 - Jun 25, 202300000%
Jun 26, 2023 - Jul 2, 20234116388%

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

28% left · 42% center · 30% right of 139 sources on the spectrum, across 40 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. February 2023

    1. Feb 2– 4Biden Says U.S. Will “Take Care” of Chinese Balloon; AP Reports Plan to Shoot It Down36 articles · 21 sources
      5 left, 7 center, 6 right
    2. Feb 2– 3Chinese spy balloon spotted over Western US, Pentagon says267 articles · 77 sources
      16 left, 36 center, 19 right
    3. Feb 3– 9China Has Conducted a Spy Balloon Program for Years, Pentagon Says53 articles · 34 sources
      7 left, 14 center, 10 right
    4. Feb 3– 4Blinken postpones China trip after discovery of surveillance balloon123 articles · 58 sources
      15 left, 25 center, 14 right
    5. Feb 3– 10Biden Says Chinese Spy Balloon Not Major Security Breach52 articles · 23 sources
      5 left, 5 center, 11 right
    6. Feb 3– 4Chinese balloon high over US stirs unease down below14 articles · 11 sources
      5 left, 4 center, 2 right
    7. Feb 4– 6US Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon411 articles · 97 sources
      26 left, 44 center, 22 right
    8. Feb 5– 7China says will 'safeguard interests' over balloon shootdown12 articles · 12 sources
      5 left, 3 center, 4 right
    9. Feb 5– 10U.S. says China balloon could collect intelligence signals90 articles · 40 sources
      7 left, 23 center, 7 right
    10. Feb 5– 8U.S. Navy releases photos of Chinese spy balloon recovery effort44 articles · 33 sources
      4 left, 18 center, 6 right
    11. Feb 6– 7White House: Improved surveillance caught Chinese balloon25 articles · 10 sources
      1 left, 6 center, 3 right
    12. Feb 6– 7Pentagon says it had an 'awareness gap' that led to failure to detect 3 Chinese balloons under Trump11 articles · 10 sources
      0 left, 8 center, 2 right
    13. Feb 8– 15Kamala Harris: Chinese Spy Balloon Does Not Impact U.S.-China Relations15 articles · 14 sources
      2 left, 4 center, 7 right
    14. Feb 8– 15U.S. tracked spy balloon after it lifted off from China, officials say34 articles · 26 sources
      5 left, 9 center, 9 right
    15. Feb 8China refused call with Pentagon after downing of suspected spy balloon, says US9 articles · 9 sources
      2 left, 4 center, 2 right
    16. Feb 9– 10US House votes to condemn China over suspected spy balloon26 articles · 15 sources
      3 left, 8 center, 4 right
    17. Feb 9– 16Biden addresses Chinese 'spy' balloon, other aerial objects48 articles · 31 sources
      6 left, 15 center, 6 right
    18. Feb 9Beijing calls US claims over balloons 'information warfare'24 articles · 13 sources
      4 left, 5 center, 4 right
    19. Feb 9US says Chinese military behind vast aerial spy program that has targeted 40 countries with high-altitude balloons11 articles · 9 sources
      3 left, 6 center, 0 right
    20. Feb 10– 14Were they spy balloons? UFOs? Rumors swirl around objects down by US planes26 articles · 18 sources
      4 left, 8 center, 2 right
    21. Feb 11– 12U.S. blacklists 6 Chinese entities over balloon program31 articles · 20 sources
      6 left, 5 center, 7 right
    22. Feb 13– 14US military says it recovered sensors from Chinese spy balloon5 articles · 5 sources
      1 left, 0 center, 2 right
    23. Feb 13China says more than 10 U.S. balloons have flown in its airspace over past year59 articles · 40 sources
      11 left, 15 center, 8 right
    24. Feb 14– 15China threatens US entities over downing of balloon35 articles · 15 sources
      3 left, 10 center, 2 right
    25. Feb 14Rumors swirl about balloons, UFOs as officials stay mum24 articles · 21 sources
      8 left, 8 center, 5 right
    26. Feb 14– 18Military completes recovery of Chinese balloon debris75 articles · 35 sources
      5 left, 20 center, 9 right
    27. Feb 16– 18China's top diplomat blasts US over 'hysterical and absurd' balloon claim8 articles · 7 sources
      0 left, 1 center, 2 right
    28. Feb 16– 17Biden says he'll speak to China's Xi about balloon incident16 articles · 14 sources
      1 left, 4 center, 8 right
    29. Feb 16Pentagon tried but failed to shoot down Chinese balloon over Montana's Beartooth Mountains6 articles · 3 sources
      1 left, 1 center, 1 right
    30. Feb 16Biden says no evidence yet that unidentified flying objects were tied to China spying10 articles · 3 sources
      1 left, 2 center, 0 right
    31. Feb 17Taiwan reports Chinese balloon found on northern island19 articles · 13 sources
      3 left, 6 center, 4 right
    32. Feb 18– 19Blinken: China's balloon incursion 'must never happen again'12 articles · 10 sources
      3 left, 6 center, 1 right
    33. Feb 18Why balloons are now in public eye — and military crosshairs15 articles · 15 sources
      5 left, 5 center, 5 right
    34. Feb 18– 19Blinken meets with China's top diplomat for first time since spy balloon shot down32 articles · 25 sources
      5 left, 10 center, 6 right
    35. Feb 19China Offers ‘No Apology’ in First Meeting After Spy Balloon Incident, Blinken Says10 articles · 5 sources
      0 left, 3 center, 2 right
    36. Feb 22– 23New Photo Shows US Spy Plane Pilot's Selfie With Chinese Balloon76 articles · 32 sources
      5 left, 19 center, 5 right

  2. April 2023

    1. Apr 3– 4Chinese spy balloon was able to transmit information back to Beijing27 articles · 23 sources
      3 left, 7 center, 11 right

  3. June 2023

    2. Jun 29– 30Chinese surveillance balloon used American technology, but U.S. says it didn't collect info41 articles · 24 sources
      4 left, 11 center, 6 right