The US Department of Defense has released a photo showing US forces collecting the wreckage at sea after a Chinese balloon was shot down after flying over the US mainland.
On the 4th of this month, the US military shot down a Chinese balloon that crossed the mainland of the United States over the southern South Carolina state with a fighter jet and continues to recover the wreckage that fell into the sea.
The US Department of Defense has released a photo taken on the spot the day after the balloon was shot down on the 7th.
The photo shows a U.S. soldier pulling up a large white cloth-like object onto the ship, and the Department of Defense says it is the work of the unit in charge of processing explosives in the U.S. Navy. .
The US Department of Defense says that the downed Chinese balloon was intended for reconnaissance, and plans to analyze the collected wreckage in detail to clarify its information gathering capabilities.
On the other hand, the Chinese side is opposed to the fact that the balloon was shot down by the US military, claiming that it was a Chinese civilian unmanned airship.
The Pentagon said on Thursday that it had requested a phone call between Secretary of Defense Austin and China's Defense Minister Wei Fenghe shortly after the balloon was shot down, but was turned down by the Chinese side.
In a statement, the Pentagon emphasized the need to continue dialogue, saying, "It is important to maintain opportunities for communication in order to responsibly manage relations between the United States and China."