Pentagon officials insist that their own research on the machine shows that it was an intelligence gathering device of a national security nature. The balloon put the trip in jeopardy and appeared that China was putting out this apologetic sounding statement in an attempt to salvage it. Each side wants to appear more hawkish than the other on China.
On Wednesday, residents in Montana saw a mysterious object — a balloon — hovering and bobbing around in the skies. The enigma brought Americans out to squint at the heavens, caused a diplomatic visit to be canceled and opened a political debate.
How did a balloon end up kindling such tension between Washington and Beijing?
Guest: Edward Wong, a diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times.
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