WASHINGTON: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), yesterday warned against the increase in intelligence activities carried out by China in Europe.
Its Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said the organization’s warning came as tensions worsened between Washington and Beijing over the suspected presence of surveillance balloons.
“The discovery of the ‘airplane’ in the continental United States (US) seems to confirm China’s pattern of movement where we see that the country has invested heavily in new military capabilities, including various types of surveillance and intelligence platforms over the past few years.
“We are also seeing increased Chinese intelligence activities in Europe, again through different platforms.
“They use satellites, cyber technology and as we have seen in the US with the presence of balloons,” he told reporters.
He said this at a joint press conference with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
At the same time, Stoltenberg said it was important for NATO to remain alert to the ongoing risk of Chinese intelligence.
“We also need to increase what is being done to protect ourselves, besides reacting in a prudent, responsible and vigilant way,” he said.
The US shot down a Chinese intelligence balloon last Saturday off the coast of South Carolina in the country’s territorial waters.
Previously, Beijing admitted to owning the balloon, but explained that it was used for meteorological research.
Accordingly, Beijing claimed that Washington’s decision to shoot down the balloons was unacceptable and irresponsible.
The discovery of the intelligence balloon prompted United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone his previous visit to China until conditions were met.
Meanwhile, the top US diplomat said his side was continuing efforts to clean up the debris, in addition to gathering information gathered from intelligence about the remains of the balloon.
“As for who is responsible, it is China and the fact is that the country is involved in irresponsible actions that violate sovereignty, territory, integrity and international law,” he said.
Blinken said additional information about the balloon will be shared publicly at a later date – AGENCY
Source: Bharian