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Transcript/ScriptChina Balloon US Reax
HEADLINE: What Americans Think About China’s Balloon
TEASER: Some Americans are unsure of the true purpose of the Chinese balloon that flew over the US while others debate Washington’s response to the incursion
PUBLISHED AT: 02/08/2023 at 7:47 pm
BYLINE: Calla Yu, Elizabeth Lee
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER: Wang Ping
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Bowman, Mia Bush
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original, AFP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 2:23
VID APPROVED BY: mia
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO:))
[[While Republican and Democratic lawmakers debate the Biden administration’s handling of a suspected Chinese spy balloon that traversed the United States, ordinary Americans also have strong opinions about the incident. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the details. VOA’s Mandarin Service contributed to this report.]]
((mandatory cg: AFP / Paul Inman)) ((00:00-1:15))
((NARRATOR)) ((video of balloon and it being shot down)) ((AFP))
Washington called this orb in the sky a Chinese surveillance balloon that violated U.S. airspace and sovereignty. Beijing said it was a civilian weather research airship that was blown off course. U.S. objections to the incident – and Beijing’s complaints after a U.S. jet fighter downed the balloon – sound almost identical:
[[FOR RADIO: Here’s U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken followed by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning]]
((AFP))
((Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State)) ((00:42-00:44))
“…is both unacceptable and irresponsible…”
((AFP))
((Mao Ning, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson)) ((Female)) ((In Mandarin)) ((00:37-00:40))
“This is an unacceptable and irresponsible behavior.”
((NARRATOR)) ((street scenes of DC))
Americans’ take on this trans-Pacific he said-she said?
[[FOR RADIO: A woman who only calls herself Cristina says the two countries are squabbling children.]]
((Cristina, Unsure About Whom to Believe)) ((Share Pkg 9 China Balloon 1:04))
“It's really hard to know which one is right. Because to me, it’s like being a mom that goes to a room and you see your two kids fighting, and you don’t know who’s saying the truth. You don’t know who’s lying. So, at the end, you’re the mom and you can’t be unbiased. Since you can’t be unfair, basically what you tell (them) is like, ‘OK, you go to your room, you go to your room, timeout, and there's no time for either one of you because I have absolutely no idea who the two of you is right.’ ”
((NARRATOR)) ((DC street scenes))
Some Americans are waiting for more information, like Fabriccio Rodrigues.
((Fabriccio Rodriguez, Unsure About Whom to Believe)) ((Share Pkg 9 China Balloon 1:16))
“So, I haven't heard anything that convinces me one way or the other that it was. I mean, it is strange for even a research balloon to be there. So, I think that's very suspicious, but I'm not going to jump to any conclusion.”
((mandatory cg: AFP / Paul Inman)) ((00:00-1:15))
((NARRATOR)) ((AFP)) ((Video of balloon / Biden))
Beijing says shooting down the balloon was an overaction...
((End Courtesy))
((mandatory cg: House Recording Studio)) ((AFP)) ((Raw US Politics Biden))
...but James Kinney says President Joe Biden’s order was measured.
((End Courtesy))
((James Kinney, Does Not Think US Overreacted)) ((Share Pkg 9 China Balloon 2:03))
“I wouldn’t say overreacting because he (Biden) waited till it was away [from the U.S. mainland]. If he were to just shoot it down immediately, that would have been an overreaction, I think.”
((mandatory cg: AFP / Chase Doak)) ((1:16-end))
((NARRATOR)) ((AFP vertical video of balloon and then back time Jennifer when I say “this woman”))
If it does turn out that this was a spy balloon,
((End Courtesy))
((mandatory cg: AFP / @__alex__davis__))
it's not a big deal considering what else is out there says...
((End Courtesy))
... this woman who identifies herself as Jennifer.
((Jennifer, Thinks US Overreacted)) ((Share Pkg 9 China Balloon 00:38))
“There are satellites all over the Earth that (the) Chinese have put up there to find out anything they probably ever wanted to know about anything in America.”
((mandatory cg: AFP/US Navy))
((NARRATOR)) ((video of balloon))
Cristina says the U.S. has a right to find out what the balloon carried – and its purpose.
((End Courtesy))
((Cristina, Unsure Whom to Believe)) ((Share Pkg 9 China Balloon 2:14))
“If it’s on U.S. soil, if I find something in my backyard, yeah, I’m going to (see) what that is. If someone tells me, ‘No, it’s mine,’ I’m like, yeah, but it’s in my backyard. Why is that in my backyard? Is that a freaking camera? Are you spying? What the heck is that thing.”
((mandatory cg: AFP/US Navy))
((NARRATOR))
U.S. investigators will examine debris from the balloon to learn more about it and Beijing’s goals in sending it.
((Elizabeth Lee, VOA News, Washington))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
Washington D. C.
Embargo DateFebruary 8, 2023 21:42 EST
Byline
((Elizabeth Lee, VOA News, Washington))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
