Britain backs US launching Chinese spy balloon – and says we would do the same

BRITAIN helped US launch Chinese spy balloon – and said we would do the same.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps threw his weight behind President Biden after ordering warplanes to shoot down the mystery object after it flew over key military sites.

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The Cabinet Secretary said yesterday: “We fully support the US and the actions they are taking.

“It cannot be right to let spy balloons hover over the mainland United States and Britain would always take its national security very seriously.”

The move has sparked a war of words with China, which has claimed it was just a weather balloon that came over America completely by accident.

But Mr Shapps said Britain is not afraid to make bold decisions to protect the British people.

He told BBC show Laura Kuenssberg: “Where there is intelligence, I act.

“I am responsible for assessing whether investments from China affect our national security.

“I was extremely tough.

“We want to be a country that is open to investment, but not in areas that could affect our national security.

“That’s where we draw the line.”

Rishi Sunak branded China a “threat” last summer – but since coming to Downing Street he has been accused of backtracking on his tough talk.

The Prime Minister would instead only say the rogue nation was a “systematic challenge” to suggest Britain would continue working with them.

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