America shoots down Chinese balloon

[Lilith7]

Given that this is the second to be spotted over the US, what did the Chinese think would happen? 



https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64524105

"The US has shot down a giant Chinese balloon that it says has been spying on key military sites across America.

The Department of Defense confirmed its fighter jets brought down the balloon over US territorial waters.
China's foreign ministry later expressed "strong dissatisfaction and protest against the US's use of force to attack civilian unmanned aircraft".
Footage on US TV networks showed the balloon falling to the sea after a small explosion.

Defence officials told US media the debris landed in 47ft (14m) of water - shallower than they had expected - near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The military is now trying to recover debris which is spread over seven miles (11km). Two naval ships, including one with a heavy crane for recovery, are in the area.
In a statement a few hours later, the Chinese foreign ministry said: "The Chinese side has repeatedly informed the US side after verification that the airship is for civilian use and entered the US due to force majeure - it was completely an accident." 

The Chinese authorities have denied it is a spying aircraft, and instead said it was a weather ship blown astray."