{"id":9601,"date":"2023-02-16T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-15T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/?p=9601"},"modified":"2023-08-06T13:40:10","modified_gmt":"2023-08-06T03:40:10","slug":"no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/tag\/peter-layton\/\">PETER LAYTON<\/a>\u00a0|   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the past week, the US has realised and revealed that an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.news.com.au\/technology\/innovation\/military\/chinese-spy-balloon-part-of-surveillance-fleet-that-has-targeted-more-than-40-countries-us-says\/news-story\/ebd91018b2beab462c5a1a1fad686b51\">active fleet of Chinese spy balloons<\/a>&nbsp;has been operating across the northern hemisphere&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2023\/feb\/13\/biden-ufo-shot-down-michigan-flying-objects\">for several years<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This all started to become apparent when a Chinese balloon, some 60 metres high and carrying a sensor payload of more than a tonne, was sighted by people in offices and homes in Billings, Montana. The white balloon, highlighted against a bright blue sky, was described as like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/science\/archive\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-montana-ufo\/672943\/\">a second moon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The saga continues to evolve. After the balloon was shot down off the South Carolina coast,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2023-02-13\/us-military-shoots-down-flying-object-near-canadian-border\/101964386\">three more objects<\/a>&nbsp;were similarly engaged in northern Alaska, Canada\u2019s Yukon Territory and over one of the Great Lakes. All three were flying inside territorial airspace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The nature and origin of these objects is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2023\/feb\/13\/biden-ufo-shot-down-michigan-flying-objects\">still unclear<\/a>. US officials say the objects were not maneuvering or communicating, helpfully noting \u201cthere is no indication of aliens or extraterrestrial activity\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These four shoot-downs are the first in the history of the US-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command, originally set up during the early Cold War. In the background, another large Chinese spy balloon was understood&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilsoncenter.org\/blog-post\/globo-chino-floats-over-latin-america\">to be overflying<\/a>&nbsp;Costa Rica, Colombia and Venezuela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A purposeful, ongoing program<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first balloon has already had several impacts. It quickly led to the cancellation of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken\u2019s planned visit to Beijing of which&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/page\/202301\/1283969.shtml\">much was hoped<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A minor domestic ruckus erupted as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/abc7.com\/chinese-spy-balloon-republicans-joe-biden-over-montana-china\/12767816\/\">Republicans accused<\/a>&nbsp;the Biden administration of being soft on China by not shooting the balloon down as early as possible. Congress&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2023\/02\/09\/politics\/chinese-spy-balloon-house-vote\/index.html\">voted 419-0<\/a>&nbsp;to condemn \u201cthe Chinese Communist Party\u2019s use of a high-altitude surveillance balloon over United States territory as a brazen violation of United States sovereignty\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lastly, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/02\/10\/business\/economy\/china-spy-balloon-sanctions.html\">US blacklisted<\/a>&nbsp;a Chinese research institute and five aviation and defence companies, cutting them off from accessing American technology. The implication is the equipment recovered from the first balloon\u2019s wreckage has revealed the blacklisted organisations were involved in building it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As more comes to light each day, China\u2019s spy balloon program appears purposeful, well-planned, well-funded and ongoing. This was not a slapdash activity by some freelancing Chinese group but a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2023\/02\/07\/china-spy-balloon-intelligence\/\">highly organised military activity<\/a>, at least partly conducted from Hainan Island on the edge of the South China Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The program is likely to continue with its main focus being&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/world-nation\/story\/2023-02-09\/us-says-china-military-vast-aerial-spy-program\">electronic surveillance<\/a>, in particular, mapping the civil and military communication networks of other countries, presumably to aid monitoring and possible later intrusions. The Pentagon&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/02\/08\/us\/politics\/china-spy-balloons.html\">noted<\/a>&nbsp;that over the past several years Chinese balloons have been spotted operating over Latin America, South America, South-East Asia, East Asia and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Global wind patterns mean these operations are likely to be restricted to the northern hemisphere unless the balloons are launched off Chinese naval ships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hunting balloons<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Detecting and shooting down such balloons requires a well-organised national air defence system that most countries do not have. Nevertheless, the sudden shooting down of three more objects immediately after the first suggests the US may have&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2023\/02\/10\/politics\/us-balloon-tracking-method\">gleaned critical intelligence<\/a>&nbsp;as it tracked the first balloon while it flew across America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first balloon was sending data via a wireless link back to China. This link may be commonly used across the program. Knowledge of the technical characteristics of this link may have allowed the US to locate and track other balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The US&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/national-security\/us-aims-share-intel-chinese-balloons-countries-rcna69614\">is sharing<\/a>&nbsp;its newly acquired intelligence about the balloons with its allies, partners and friends. This will help others counter Chinese spy balloons over their countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An escalating trend<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are some implications for international relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, the Chinese Communist Party doesn\u2019t appear to mind irritating other countries. Much of what the spy balloons are doing can just as easily be done by surveillance satellites, of which China has&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/media.defense.gov\/2022\/Nov\/29\/2003122279\/-1\/-1\/1\/2022-MILITARY-AND-SECURITY-DEVELOPMENTS-INVOLVING-THE-PEOPLES-REPUBLIC-OF-CHINA.PDF\">some 260 in orbit<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In contrast, the balloons are inherently provocative. The response from the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the party\u2019s mouthpiece the Global Times has been to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmprc.gov.cn\/mfa_eng\/xwfw_665399\/s2510_665401\/202302\/t20230206_11020388.html\">deny<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/page\/202302\/1285217.shtml\">obfuscate<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/china\/diplomacy\/article\/3209964\/china-spots-mystery-object-over-waters-near-northern-port-city\">confuse<\/a>, complain about the US for shooting down the first balloon, and claim the US has sent&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/china\/diplomacy\/article\/3210044\/chinese-foreign-ministry-says-us-sent-over-10-its-own-high-altitude-balloons-illegally-chinas\">many similar balloons<\/a>&nbsp;into Chinese airspace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Second, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecfr.eu\/article\/dancing-with-wolf-warriors-chinas-covid-u-turn-and-its-implications-for-europe\/\">great hopes<\/a>&nbsp;that post-COVID China would shift from the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wolf_warrior_diplomacy\">wolf-warrior diplomacy<\/a>&nbsp;of the past several years to become a more responsible member of the international community seem dashed. Instead, an escalating trend seems apparent, when considering&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lowyinstitute.org\/the-interpreter\/china-s-grey-zone-tactics-amount-far-more-just-laser-games\">other recent<\/a>&nbsp;Chinese \u201cgrey zone\u201d&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lowyinstitute.org\/the-interpreter\/flare-china-s-deliberate-pattern-aggression\">incidents<\/a>. Looking forward, China seems set on \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/cimsec.org\/storm-warning-chinese-gray-zone-futures-inbound\/\">pushing the envelope<\/a>\u201d in a future where it is increasingly bellicose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bad signs for future crises<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The balloon saga has also revealed that, in a crisis, China may be unable to adequately manage a fast-developing situation. The party apparatus may be good at implementing detailed long-range plans, but less adept at managing problems that arise quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this crisis, only the Americans seem actively involved; the statements from Beijing are at best&nbsp;<em>pro forma<\/em>, and certainly not meaningful interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/world\/as-u-s-shot-down-shot-down-chinese-balloon-calls-to-china-went-unanswered\">reportedly called China<\/a>&nbsp;on a dedicated, mutually agreed crisis line, but Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe declined to speak to him. This is a bad omen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a future US\u2013China crisis only one side might be trying to manage the situation. The Chinese side might again freeze, with senior leaders playing the silent, nobody-home card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The balloon saga continues helping to drive US-China relations downward. China\u2019s top leaders appear apathetic, while America\u2019s hawks seem vindicated. It\u2019s a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciis.org.cn\/english\/ESEARCHPROJECTS\/Articles\/202007\/t20200715_3604.html\">win-win<\/a>, as Xi Jinping always talks about, but not for the wider world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"author label wp-block-paragraph\">AUTHOR<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Peter Layton is a Visiting Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article first appeared at The Conversation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PETER LAYTON\u00a0| Over the past week, the US has realised and revealed that an&nbsp;active fleet of Chinese spy balloons&nbsp;has been operating across the northern hemisphere&nbsp;for several years. This all started to become apparent when a Chinese balloon, some 60 metres high and carrying a sensor payload of more than a tonne, was sighted by people [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":9603,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1170,233,245,1731,1057],"tags":[1752,533,284,1082,1748,441],"class_list":["post-9601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-feature-series","category-china-and-north-east-asia","category-sdg16","category-security","tag-alaska","tag-canada","tag-china","tag-peter-layton","tag-spy-balloon","tag-united-states"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Jill Moriarty","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension | Griffith Asia Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| Over the past week, the US has realised and revealed that an&nbsp;active fleet of Chinese spy balloons&nbsp;has been operating across the\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension | Griffith Asia Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| Over the past week, the US has realised and revealed that an&nbsp;active fleet of Chinese spy balloons&nbsp;has been operating across the\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Griffith Asia Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-02-15T22:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-08-06T03:40:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg?fit=900%2C500&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Griffith Asia Institute\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@GAIGriffith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@GAIGriffith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Griffith Asia Institute\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a\"},\"headline\":\"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-02-15T22:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-06T03:40:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":987,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/02\\\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Alaska\",\"Canada\",\"China\",\"Peter Layton\",\"Spy balloon\",\"United States\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Commentary\",\"Feature series\",\"Region | China and Northeast Asia\",\"SDG 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions\",\"Topic-Security\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension | Griffith Asia Insights\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/02\\\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-02-15T22:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-06T03:40:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| Over the past week, the US has realised and revealed that an&nbsp;active fleet of Chinese spy balloons&nbsp;has been operating across the\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/02\\\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/02\\\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg\",\"width\":900,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"The US recovered wreckage from the shot-down balloon. (Photo: US Navy | Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tyler Thompson | EPA)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Insights\",\"description\":\"Asia Insights is published by the Griffith Asia Institute. It offers latest commentary on Asia-Pacific affairs and aims to inform and foster academic scholarship, public awareness and considered and responsive policy making.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1\",\"width\":2930,\"height\":308,\"caption\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/griffithasiainstitute\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/GAIGriffith\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\\\/asiainsights\\\/author\\\/gaigriffith-edu-au\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension | Griffith Asia Insights","description":"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| Over the past week, the US has realised and revealed that an&nbsp;active fleet of Chinese spy balloons&nbsp;has been operating across the","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension | Griffith Asia Insights","og_description":"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| Over the past week, the US has realised and revealed that an&nbsp;active fleet of Chinese spy balloons&nbsp;has been operating across the","og_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/","og_site_name":"Griffith Asia Insights","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/","article_published_time":"2023-02-15T22:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-08-06T03:40:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":900,"height":500,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg?fit=900%2C500&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Griffith Asia Institute","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@GAIGriffith","twitter_site":"@GAIGriffith","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Griffith Asia Institute","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/"},"author":{"name":"Griffith Asia Institute","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a"},"headline":"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension","datePublished":"2023-02-15T22:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-06T03:40:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/"},"wordCount":987,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg","keywords":["Alaska","Canada","China","Peter Layton","Spy balloon","United States"],"articleSection":["Commentary","Feature series","Region | China and Northeast Asia","SDG 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions","Topic-Security"],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/","name":"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension | Griffith Asia Insights","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg","datePublished":"2023-02-15T22:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-06T03:40:10+00:00","description":"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| Over the past week, the US has realised and revealed that an&nbsp;active fleet of Chinese spy balloons&nbsp;has been operating across the","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg","width":900,"height":500,"caption":"The US recovered wreckage from the shot-down balloon. (Photo: US Navy | Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tyler Thompson | EPA)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/no-indication-of-aliens-spy-balloon-saga-continues-to-surprise-amid-rising-us-china-tension\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u2018No indication of aliens\u2019: spy balloon saga continues to surprise amid rising US\u2013China tension"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#website","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/","name":"Griffith Asia Insights","description":"Asia Insights is published by the Griffith Asia Institute. It offers latest commentary on Asia-Pacific affairs and aims to inform and foster academic scholarship, public awareness and considered and responsive policy making.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization","name":"Griffith Asia Institute","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1","width":2930,"height":308,"caption":"Griffith Asia Institute"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/","https:\/\/x.com\/GAIGriffith"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a","name":"Griffith Asia Institute","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Griffith Asia Institute"},"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/author\/gaigriffith-edu-au\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9989,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/duelling-battle-networks-the-new-equilibrium\/","url_meta":{"origin":9601,"position":0},"title":"Duelling battle networks: The new equilibrium","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"21 September 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"PETER LAYTON | With digital technology omnipresent, future major wars will most likely pivot around duelling battle networks. These complicated systems represent unique target sets best attacked through using system of system thinking and emerging ideas of cognitive warfare. Particularly given China\u2019s \u201csystems confrontation\u201d focus, attacking battle networks is an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Region | China and Northeast Asia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Region | China and Northeast Asia","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/china-and-north-east-asia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dark red technological map of the world with luminous dots, global information network on a digital screen","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/Defence-technology-network.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/Defence-technology-network.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/Defence-technology-network.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/Defence-technology-network.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8667,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/countering-chinas-grey-zone-strategy\/","url_meta":{"origin":9601,"position":1},"title":"Countering China\u2019s grey zone strategy","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"11 October 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| China\u2019s grey zone activities\u00a0grind remorseless on\u00a0but in so doing are creating an opposing pushback. As is customary, the\u00a0paradoxical nature\u00a0of war applies in that those impacted by a damaging strategy will over time devise optimised counter-moves. In general,\u00a0grey-zone activities\u00a0involve purposefully pursuing political objectives through carefully designed operations; moving cautiously\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/publication\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/China-grey-zone2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/China-grey-zone2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/China-grey-zone2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/China-grey-zone2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4913,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/the-tenth-man-wars-changing-nature-in-an-ai-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":9601,"position":2},"title":"\u201cThe tenth man\u201d \u2014 War\u2019s changing nature in an AI world","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"9 October 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| There\u2019s a debate underway about the\u00a0nature of war. Some say it\u2019s immutable, others say hogwash; ironically both sides quote Clausewitz for support. Interestingly,\u00a0Secretary of Defense Mattis, once an \u2018immutable\u2019 defender, has now\u00a0declared\u00a0he\u2019s not sure anymore, given recent\u00a0Artificial intelligence (AI)\u00a0\u00a0developments. At the core of the immutable case is the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Feature series&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Feature series","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/publication\/feature-series\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/10\/10th-man-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/10\/10th-man-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/10\/10th-man-900x500.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/10\/10th-man-900x500.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5662,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/prototype-warfare-in-the-fourth-industrial-age\/","url_meta":{"origin":9601,"position":3},"title":"Prototype warfare in the fourth industrial age","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"4 April 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| A new industrial process is rapidly emerging.\u00a0 This fourth industrial revolution (4IR) based on hyper-connectivity brings with it both continual \u2013 indeed relentless \u2013 innovation and the possibility of practical large-scale prototype warfare. The interweaving of the second and third industrial revolutions is creating the fourth. This new\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Feature series&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Feature series","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/publication\/feature-series\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/Industry-4.0-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/Industry-4.0-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/Industry-4.0-900x500.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/Industry-4.0-900x500.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5681,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/mobilising-defence-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution\/","url_meta":{"origin":9601,"position":4},"title":"Mobilising Defence in the \u201cfourth industrial revolution\u201d","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"19 April 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"PETER LAYTON\u00a0| Australia\u2019s future wars may not run to our timetable. Our recent wars of choice have allowed participation as and when we wished. If some future conflict is short notice however, the Australian Defence Force may lack the logistic backup to be more than a one-shot force, operationally viable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Feature series&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Feature series","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/publication\/feature-series\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/4IR-3D-bomb-nose-fuse-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/4IR-3D-bomb-nose-fuse-900x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/4IR-3D-bomb-nose-fuse-900x500.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/4IR-3D-bomb-nose-fuse-900x500.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10620,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/unveiling-the-mysteries-of-the-dragon-year-power-significance-and-predictions\/","url_meta":{"origin":9601,"position":5},"title":"Unveiling the mysteries of the dragon year: Power, significance and predictions","author":"Griffith Asia Institute","date":"12 February 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"COLIN MACKERRAS\u00a0|\u00a0 The dragon year began on 10 February. The dragon is the only one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac that is mythical, and so it\u2019s very special. In Chinese mythology, dragons are positive. They are powerful, all right, but represent benign power. People born in years\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/category\/publication\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"2024 Year of the Dragon","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/year-of-the-dragon-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/year-of-the-dragon-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/year-of-the-dragon-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/year-of-the-dragon-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"featured_image_thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/chinese-spy-balloon-2.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9601"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9601\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}