The story of the balloons and what was described as "UFOs" recently dropped by the United States raised many questions about the secret war methods between Washington and China, and whether spy balloons constituted their only appearance.

In his article in the French magazine "L'Obs", French writer Vinson Juffair revealed that the secret war between the two countries takes many forms.

Balloons remain among them, highlighting that the two countries are exploiting all technical and human means to collect information about opponents.

Joffire spoke of "traditional espionage", and said that the two countries were making efforts - tirelessly - to recruit agents who would provide them with sensitive political and military information about the opponent and any close ally.


Sea and depths

He said that the great powers also send their advanced ships to areas close to the opponents to intercept communications and gather information.

In this context, it was confirmed - for example - that China sent for the first time its huge ship "Haiwang Sheng" to an area near the Australian station for communications, and also sent the ship "Yuan Wang 5" to Sri Lanka to spy on India, the ally of the United States, its arch-rival.

The French writer explained that the great powers also focus on the depths, especially on the communications cables located at the bottom of the sea, where they install machines to collect information, and also put devices to detect suspicious submarines roaming in the region, just as they also use private planes to detect these submarines.

Private spy planes are available in China, including the Y-8, for example, while several planes, including the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, are available in the United States.


sky and space

The writer emphasized that the superpowers - including China - have prepared a strong ground for the work of agencies to collect electronic data, intercept and analyze it, direct it against adversaries, and protect the country from organized cyber-attacks targeting its security and stability.

At the air level, the Chinese fleet includes - as well as the US - private spy planes, including the "Shaanxi Y-9JB", in addition to spy drones such as the "Wuzhen-7", which can fly 10 hours. At an altitude of 20 km.

In space, the two countries have countless spy satellites, which are capable of accurately photographing locations and intercepting communications.

Beijing, along with Washington and other major countries, also developed weapons capable of destroying those satellites in space.

As for balloon technology, it is very useful for its cheap cost first, and because the balloon can - thanks to its slow speed - photograph the largest number of areas without problems.