“Strong dissatisfaction and protest against the shooting down of the U.S. ‘Reconnaissance BalloonReconnaissance Balloon’ in China and the U.S.

Bloomberg reported on the 7th that Chinese public opinion is moving in accordance with the authorities’ atmosphere over the U.S. “China Reconnaissance Balloon.”They say that public opinion moves according to the judgments and reactions made by Chinese authorities and government scholars. Some point out that it is operated by an “invisible hand.”Looking back on the situation, public opinion in the U.S. and other countries has been stirred by the controversy over the Chinese reconnaissance balloon that has actually appeared over the U.S. since the 3rd, but there has not been much response from netizens in China.Chinese netizens seemed to believe the Chinese authorities’ explanation that the “civilian airship, which is mainly used for weather observation,” entered the U.S. due to a loss of control.However, the U.S. has stepped up its response, believing that the balloon is likely to be a military base reconnaissance airship.

The U.S. also canceled Secretary of State Tony Blinkon’s visit to China, which was scheduled for the 5th. In response, China Daily, China’s state-run media, said in an editorial that the U.S. overvalued the issue and responded, pointing to the U.S. Secretary Blinken’s cancellation of his visit as undermining the sincerity of the two leaders’ agreement late last year to return U.S.-China relations to normal.When the U.S. shot down a reconnaissance balloon with a missile on the 5th, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement criticizing it on the same day, which turned Chinese public opinion into a criticism of the U.S.A statement posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s website, “We express strong dissatisfaction and protest against the U.S. attack on a civilian unmanned airship using force,” recorded 68 million views in China in just two hours.

At the same time, Bloomberg reported that Chinese social media (SNS) is flooded with previously unnoticed offensive articles against the U.S.In fact, Weibo also posted a message saying, “Please don’t blame U.S. military aircraft or ships for attacking Chinese airspace and territorial waters when they enter.””Just as the Chinese airship was shot down in the United States, if a person like Nancy Pelosi (who was the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who visited Taiwan in August last year) comes again, we will have to shoot down the aircraft,” it was also posted.In fact, considering that the authorities’ censorship system, which virtually prevents Western Internet platforms and media outlets, and that expressions of opinions on SNS are strictly controlled, it is not easy to distribute such extreme aggressive articles without the Chinese authorities’ acquiescence.The U.S. is shooting down China’s “reconnaissance balloon” that entered its territory by mobilizing stealth fighters on the 4th (local time).
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website on the 5th, “We express strong dissatisfaction and protest against the U.S. attack on a civilian unmanned airship using force.”
Chinese officials and state-run scholars are also trying to attract public opinion in the U.S.

Jin Chan-long, a professor of international relations at the People’s University of Beijing, defined Weibo as a “wandering balloon” on the 5th. Entering the U.S. skies was a “kind of accident,” he claimed. Nevertheless, he attacked, saying, “The U.S. is exaggerating a lot and overreacting.”
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying pointed at the U.S. on Twitter, saying U.S. politicians are “handling accidents in the most dramatic way.” Some point out that the Chinese authorities are controlling the U.S. online with the aim of creating public opinion to check the U.S. regarding the U.S. reconnaissance balloon attack at an appropriate level. However, it seems unlikely that Chinese authorities will increase the intensity of the online attack on the United States.S. In other words, in order to overcome the economic downturn caused by the “Zero Corona” policy and the real estate market crisis, the level will be adjusted because it is urgent to improve relations with the U.S.Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, “In China, many people think it was an unnecessary decision to shoot down reconnaissance balloons using fighter jets, but observers say such an action is valid from U.S. public opinion and perspective.”

KS CHOI

ASIA JOURNAL