The Chinese Government has branded the US Government's decision to shoot down a suspected spy balloon as an "obvious over-reaction."
Beijing insists that the balloon, which was flying in American airspace, was for civilian use and blew over accidentally.
It has accused the US of "seriously violating international conventions", while officials at the Pentagon believe that it was being used for spying.
Footage posted online shows a small explosion, followed by the object descending toward the water off the Carolina coast.
Best video so far of the Chinese spy balloon being shot down pic.twitter.com/MrWB403OqJ
— BNO News Live (@BNODesk) February 4, 2023
Regardless of what it was, it has caused political tensions between the two countries, with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponing a trip to China, and Chinese threatening "further actions".
US President Joe Biden had told reporters on Saturday evening that the US was "going to take care of" the balloon, and soon after, a fighter jet was spotted flying towards the balloon.
The US says it had crossed over sensitive military sites, and its navy is now trying to recover its remnants from the sea for examination.
It was first identified flying high over Montana on Wednesday, with President Biden saying he gave the order to take it out of the sky as soon as it was safe to do so.
