Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

US global leader in spying on countries: Chinese FM

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 14 Feb 2023 17:21
  • 1 Shares
2 Min Read

Beijing refuses US allegations regarding the alleged surveillance balloon, stressing the idea that the USA has spied on major countries for their benefit.

  • x
  • In this image made from video, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin speaks during a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023 (AP Photo/Liu Zheng)
    In this image made from video, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin speaks during a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023 (AP Photo/Liu Zheng)

A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbin, said on Tuesday that the United States is the world’s leader in spying on other countries, including European allies, for personal gain.

"In regard to government surveillance, we would like to point out that the US is the number one country in the world, and the international community, including Europe, has personal experience in this matter," he said at a regular briefing.

Read more: US should not 'discuss cooperation and stab at the same time': China

Wang continues by explaining that the US military has invested billions of dollars into the research and development of high-end reconnaissance balloons since the year 1997. He adds that the Pentagon converted the usage of these balloons for military use last year.

Related News

US to enforce 25% tariffs on India effective August 1, Trump announces

US Patriot missile stockpile at 25% as Trump vows more arms to Ukraine

The diplomat specified that these balloons are now capable of carrying surveillance equipment used for tracking hypersonic strategic Russian and Chinese cruise missiles.

As such, the US ended up with the “largest spy network in the world”, said the spokesman. Moreover, the US has already spied on calls and messages to and from leaders of European allies, such as Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and others.

This February, the United States announced that it detected and shot down a total of four unidentified flying objects. This includes the alleged Chinese surveillance balloon which in the view of the US, was engineered to gather information about sensitive military sites in the country.

Beijing has stated otherwise; the balloon was a mere meteorological device that accidentally entered Canadian and American airspace while expressing protest over the Pentagon’s decision to shoot it down.

Read next: China responds to US, Japan's increasingly anti-Beijing alliance

The Chinese Foreign Ministry pointed out that since January 2022, several US balloons have already violated China’s airspace more than 10 times.

  • USA
  • spying
  • Surveillance
  • China
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS