US House of Representatives promotes sanctions against those involved in Chinese spy balloons

The lower house of USAcontrolled by the Republicans, approved a bill on Monday that contemplates sanctions against those involved in the Chinese program of espionage with balloons

The initiative went ahead by 405 votes in favor and 6 against and must now continue its parliamentary process in the Senate, where the Democrats have control.

The text points out that 180 days after its promulgation, the US president, Joe Bidenyou could exercise the power that the law would grant you to block and prohibit the transactions and participations in assets of the persons in question if they are in USA or controlled by a US citizen.

The president would also be given power so that the sanctioned person cannot enter the country or receive a visa. The sanctioned person can also withdraw the visa or permit that has already been granted.

The legislators also advocated in their bill for the Ministry of Commerce, with a view to future controls, to evaluate the export and transfer of material and technology related to aerospace programs, including balloons, that are used by the People’s Liberation Army for intelligence and reconnaissance work.

The lawmakers call for a diplomatic strategy to be drawn up to inform partners and allies of the breadth of China’s surveillance program “and build a global consensus” to deal with it.

His initiative encourages the United States to exert its weight to support Taiwan’s participation in meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization and to exert greater pressure on China to cease such surveillance operations “that violate international sovereignty.”

The Lower House also advocates elevating to the summits of the G7 and of the G20 the challenges that this program presents, as well as for coordinating with the country’s allies the imposition of sanctions and export controls similar to those decided.

Their conclusions point out that China has entered US airspace “multiple times since 2017 and has violated the airspace of more than 40 countries on five continents.”

“The Chinese response has been to use disinformation and propaganda to deflect blame,” added the bill, which calls on Beijing to cease these operations “that undermine the sovereignty of countries” and warns of the need for Washington to continue “neutralizing” foreign aerial surveillance apparatus.

The first Chinese balloon that came to public knowledge, which flew over USA at the end of January and was shot down over Atlantic waters on February 4, triggering a bilateral crisis between the two countries.

China then admitted that the balloon belonged to it, but said it had been misplaced and was used only for meteorological research purposes.