What if a China balloon flies over Australia?

Another day. Another happening to hype up the US and West against China

A China weather balloon that has blown into the US has had Western politicians and journalists' knickers in a twist.

Although clarified by China's foreign ministry that the alleged spy balloon was a civilian research "airship" for gathering weather data which "deviated far from its planned course" due to strong winds and the balloon's limited steering capabilities, the development has precipitated what American journalist, Christopher Hooks, has described as"one of the stupidest news cycles in living memory". Prominent anti war activist, Caitlin Johnson, has weighed in to express concern at " the entire American political/media class having an existential meltdown over what the Pentagon claims is a Chinese spy balloon."

China's Foreign Ministry had clarified that "The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into US airspace due to force majeure". But this seems to have only added fuel to the US frenzy.

US Response

Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled his diplomatic visit to China whilst US war hawks and even self professed liberal leaders have hogged the mass media to beat the war drums and call for retaliation on the 'attack' balloon and anything from or remotely related to China.

"A big Chinese balloon in the sky and millions of Chinese TikTok balloons on our phones," tweeted Senator Mitt Romney. "Let's shut them all down."

A small minority of independent commentators have noted that even if the balloon had spying potential, there is no reason for Americans to lose their minds or control of their bowels.

They point out that Chinese satellites as with US satellites already can read the licence plates of cars in the target country so there is little or no value added for the Chinese military from the balloon.

Secondly, all major governments spy on each other with the world record held by the US since the end of the second world war. This is a record which is apparent from the military budget of the US estimated at US$778 billion for 2023 compared with that of China's $252 billion, India's $72.9 billion, Russia's $61.7 billion and the UK's $59.2 billion. Australia's military budget is a relatively modest sum at $30.7 billion. But it is one of the largest in the world on a per capita basis

It has also been estimated by western sources that 123 US military satellites are circling the earth. In comparison, Russia has 74 military satellites whilst China has 68. Australia has zero military satellites.

The Pentagon's initial assessment, lost in the hysterical response, is that the balloon "does not create significant value added over and above what the PRC is likely able to collect through things like satellites in Low Earth Orbit."

For now though, the Pentagon is quite happy to see Americans freaking out over a balloon as long as it continues getting funds to encircle China with military bases and weaponry.