The CantmIre Post

The United States is sending a message to China that it will not defend itself against a Chinese surveillance balloon spotted hovering over Montana, according to one expert.

The sighting of the balloon was reported on Wednesday night by local media in Sidney, Montana. According to the reports, the balloon had been seen hovering near the town for several hours and emitting a strong light.

While it’s unclear what purpose the balloon served or who sent it, experts suggest that it could have been part of China’s increasing efforts to monitor activity in the US.

China has recently been accused of carrying out cyber espionage against US companies and government bodies, as well as expanding its military presence in international waters and airspace. That makes this incident all the more suspicious.

However, despite calls for action from some quarters, there has so far been no response from the US government. This has led some experts to believe that this is a deliberate move on the part of Washington – a signal that it won’t take any steps to protect itself from Chinese surveillance balloons or other intrusive activities.

Michaela Dodge, an analyst at The Heritage Foundation thinktank said: “This could be interpreted as a sign that America is sending a message: We are not going to respond militarily or diplomatically every time we see something like this.”

Dodge also suggested that such an approach could be more effective than responding aggressively, saying: “In many cases, these kinds of incidents can be resolved through diplomatic means rather than with military force. By not responding immediately or forcefully, we may actually be able to resolve these issues without escalating tensions between our two countries further."

Ultimately though, only time will tell if this strategy works in deterring further incursions by Chinese surveillance balloons into American airspace or other activities by Beijing which violate international law and norms.