China used American-made technology inside the spy balloon that was caught hovering over U.S. military bases back in February.

Reporter/Producer

Report: Chinese spy balloon used American-made tech to spy on US

Jun 29, 2023

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Digital Producer)

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China used American-made technology to spy on Americans when a Chinese spy balloon was caught hovering over U.S. military bases back in February. The revelation is now coming to light through a Wall Street Journal exclusive that details what U.S. officials were able to find after collecting remnants of the spy balloon and investigating its origins.

According to defense and intelligence officials who spoke with the Journal, the American-made equipment on board the spy balloon helped collect photos, videos and other intel during an eight-day passage over Canada and the United States. But the officials also say the Pentagon took measures that prevented the information collected from being transmitted back to Beijing.

In the report, they describe the balloon as being “crammed” with “commercially available U.S. gear.”

The officials described more specialized Chinese sensors being found on board the craft to better collect intel, which they say is further evidence that the spy balloon was indeed there to spy, not to “monitor the weather” as Beijing suggested.

This isn’t the first time the Chinese are being accused of stealing American technology that could then be used against the U.S.

This time, it’s American-made surveillance technology, but earlier this year, China was accused by a former defense official of stealing military secrets from the U.S. in order to build its own J-20 fighter jets that closely resemble F-22 raptor fighter planes belonging to the U.S. military.

According to the report, the latest revelation that China had American-made tech on board its spy balloon further suggests the U.S. is seen as a threat to China. The report also supports that China poses a risk to the U.S. if the Communist Party is able to use America’s own technology against the U.S.

Tags: Canada, China, Chinese Spy Balloon, Technology, U.S. military

KARAH RUCKER: CHINA USED AMERICAN-MADE TECHNOLOGY TO SPY ON AMERICANS WHEN A CHINESE SPY BALLOON WAS CAUGHT HOVERING OVER U.S. MILITARY BASES BACK IN FEBRUARY. THAT’S THE REVELATION NOW COMING TO LIGHT THROUGH A WALL STREET JOURNAL EXCLUSIVE – DETAILING WHAT U.S. OFFICIALS WERE ABLE TO FIND AFTER COLLECTING REMNANTS OF THE SPY BALLOON SHOT DOWN OVER THE ATLANTIC AND INVESTIGATING ITS ORIGINS.

OFFICIALS: U.S. TECH USED BY CHINA TO GATHER PHOTOS, VIDEOS, INTEL

ACCORDING TO DEFENSE AND INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS WHO SPOKE WITH THE JOURNAL – THE AMERICAN-MADE EQUIPMENT ON BOARD THE SPY BALLOON HELPED IT COLLECT PHOTOS, VIDEOS, AND OTHER INTEL DURING AN EIGHT-DAY PASSAGE OVER CANADA AND THE U.S. –

PENTAGON PREVENTED DATA FROM BEING TRANSMITTED TO CHINA

BUT THE OFFICIALS ALSO SAY THE PENTAGON TOOK MEASURES THAT PREVENTED THE INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM BEING TRANSMITTED BACK TO BEIJING.

THE OFFICIALS CITED IN THE REPORT DESCRIBE THE BALLOON AS BEING “CRAMMED” WITH “COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE U.S. GEAR.”

OFFICIALS: SURVEILLANCE TECH DEBUNKS WEATHER MONITORING CLAIM

THEY ALSO DESCRIBE MORE **SPECIALIZED CHINESE SENSORS BEING FOUND ON BOARD THE CRAFT TO BETTER COLLECT INTEL – WHICH THE OFFICIALS SAY IS FURTHER EVIDENCE THE SPY BALLOON WAS INDEED THERE TO SPY — NOT TO “MONITOR THE WEATHER” AS BEIJING SUGGESTED.

CHINA ACCUSED OF STEALING MILITARY TECH TO BUILD JETS

THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME THE CHINESE IS BEING ACCUSED OF STEALING AMERICAN-MADE TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD THEN BE USED AGAINST THE U.S.

THIS TIME — IT’S AMERICAN MADE **SURVEILLANCE TECH – BUT EARLIER THIS YEAR CHINA WAS ACCUSED BY A FORMER DEFENSE OFFICIAL OF STEALING MILITARY SECRETS FROM THE U.S. IN ORDER TO BUILD THEIR OWN J-20 FIGHTER JETS THAT CLOSELY RESEMBLE F-22 RAPTOR FIGHTER PLANES THAT BELONG TO THE U.S. MILITARY.

CHINA, U.S. RELATIONS FRAGILE AMID NEW SPY TECH CLAIMS

THE LATEST REVELATION THAT CHINA HAD AMERICAN-MADE TECH ON BOARD ITS SPY BALLOON ACCORDING TO THE REPORT – FURTHER SUGGESTS THE U.S. IS SEEN AS A THREAT TO CHINA – AND CHINA POSES A RISK TO THE U.S. IF THE COMMUNIST PARTY IS ABLE TO USE AMERICA’S OWN TECHNOLOGY AGAINST THEM.