IMO this is all a PR exercise to build momentum against China and urge the US to begin some kind of trade and/or cold war, or even worse, military action around Taiwan.<p>A week or so ahead of all this a US general was saber rattling[1] about war with China, it just seems convenient that in close succession we have this balloon crisis.<p>I just don't buy any of it. I've been lied to by governments so many times it's hard not to see anything as a big propaganda campaign now.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/02/us-general-gut-feeling-war-china-sparks-alarm-predictions" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/02/us-general-gut...</a>