The seething tension between the US and China reignited after a giant Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted over Billings, Montana on February 1. The suspected Chinese spy balloon was shot down last week, as per reports. US officials have also claimed that the balloon had multiple antennas, deeming it capable of gathering intelligence. Moreover, the government believes that the balloon was part of a wider surveillance fleet spread across five continents. However, China has denied all allegations and claimed to be unaware of any such spy balloon fleet. Days after the controversy surfaced, Phoenix Suns legend Charles Barkley lashed out at the Chinese government while condemning what he believed to be an unethical move by China.

On his podcast, Charles Barkley recently fired shots at China for reportedly sending a spy balloon into the US sky. Moreover, Barkley refused to believe the claims made by the Chinese government that it was a weather device that went rogue.

Charles Barkley condemns China’s alleged spy mission

In the recent edition of The Steam Room podcast, Charles Barkley went haywire against China’s alleged geopolitical misadventure on US soil. He exploded, “China! I don’t know what the hell y’all were thinking that we weren’t gonna notice that big a** balloon. I don’t know what the h*ll y’all were thinking. Y’all cannot be sending balloons over here, trying to sniff around. We are gonna notice.”

Meanwhile, co-host Ernie Johnson pointed out that the Chinese balloon was spotted in several locations, including Montana and South Carolina. Barkley continued, “We let it come all the way across the country, and if you’re gonna lie and say it just got blown by the wind. You probably should just let us know. Don’t let it fly all the way across the United States.”

The 11-time All-Star reckoned that it was a foolish move from China to send such a massive balloon and think the people would not notice. Chuck also advised China to do better. Barkley said, “Come on’ China. You gotta do better. You gotta do better.”

READ MORE: “Their Definitely Plotting Something”: Mike Tyson’s Son Joins Thousands in Shock as Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Enters US Airspace by ‘Mistake’

China reacts to the balloon controversy

On February 9, lawmakers in the US passed a non-binding resolution that condemned China for sending the balloon. The lawmakers claimed that the balloon was a violation of the nation’s sovereignty during an assembly vote that went 419-0 in favor of criticizing the use of such devices.

Meanwhile, on the same day, China denied having any knowledge of a wider fleet of surveillance balloons. The Chinese Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that the spying claim was a “part of the information and public opinion warfare the US has waged on China.”

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