Episode
A Chinese Balloon and a Diplomatic Showdown
25:51
Published: Mon Feb 06 2023
Description
On Wednesday, residents in Montana saw a mysterious object — a balloon — hovering and bobbing around in the skies. The enigma brought Americans out to squint at the heavens, caused a diplomatic visit to be canceled and opened a political debate.How did a balloon end up kindling such tension between Washington and Beijing?Guest: Edward Wong, a diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The Chinese balloon drifted for seven days across the United States. Here’s a timeline of events.The balloon was brought down by an air-to-air missile fired at it off the coast of South Carolina.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Chapters
This episode of The Daily talks about how a balloon turned into a crisis between the U.S. and China, and reflects on the nature of the relationship between the two superpowers.
00:00 - 02:04 (02:04)
Summary
This episode of The Daily talks about how a balloon turned into a crisis between the U.S. and China, and reflects on the nature of the relationship between the two superpowers.
EpisodeA Chinese Balloon and a Diplomatic Showdown
PodcastThe Daily
A Chinese spy balloon was discovered in US airspace above Montana, causing concerns among officials due to the fact that the state houses 150 intercontinental ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear warheads in large silos.
02:04 - 10:21 (08:16)
Summary
A Chinese spy balloon was discovered in US airspace above Montana, causing concerns among officials due to the fact that the state houses 150 intercontinental ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear warheads in large silos. This may have been an effort by Chinese officials to collect information on the missile silos.
EpisodeA Chinese Balloon and a Diplomatic Showdown
PodcastThe Daily
China is aggressively pursuing its military-civil fusion strategy, using American chips in military equipment, while the US is building up military alliances and partnerships across Asia.
10:21 - 17:37 (07:16)
Summary
China is aggressively pursuing its military-civil fusion strategy, using American chips in military equipment, while the US is building up military alliances and partnerships across Asia. The Biden administration is also supporting Japan in revitalizing its military and moving away from a pacifist stand.
EpisodeA Chinese Balloon and a Diplomatic Showdown
PodcastThe Daily
The spy balloon incident highlights the fragility and importance of diplomacy between the US and China.
17:37 - 23:41 (06:04)
Summary
The spy balloon incident highlights the fragility and importance of diplomacy between the US and China. As tensions rise, it's important to maintain communication and work through issues to prevent a complete breakdown of relations.
EpisodeA Chinese Balloon and a Diplomatic Showdown
PodcastThe Daily
The Democratic Party has made sweeping changes in its presidential nomination process to reflect the racial and national diversity of the country, breaking from decades of tradition that began with the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.
23:41 - 25:44 (02:02)
Summary
The Democratic Party has made sweeping changes in its presidential nomination process to reflect the racial and national diversity of the country, breaking from decades of tradition that began with the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.