Canada summons Chinese ambassador over high-altitude surveillance balloon

OTTAWA –

China’s ambassador to Canada has been called onto the carpet to explain a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is hovering over the U.S.

Global Affairs Canada says Ambassador Cong Peiwu was summoned on Thursday after the balloon was spotted over U.S. airspace.

The Department of National Defence says the balloon’s movements are being tracked by the North American Aerospace Defence Command.

Officials have not said whether the balloon flew over Canadian airspace.

China’s foreign ministry has confirmed the balloon is Chinese, but says it is a civilian airship used primarily for weather research that flew off course.

The balloon’s appearance has heightened already tense relations between the U.S. and China, with reports U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is postponing a planned trip to the country because of the incident.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2023