President Biden addressed the recent Chinese spy balloon incident during his State of the Union speech, in which he vowed to protect the US from threats posed by China.
This comes after the US military shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon that had traversed US and Canadian airspace before being destroyed off the coast of the Carolinas on Saturday.
Although Biden did not specifically reference the balloon by name, he made an oblique reference to it in his address to Congress.
In the article from The New York Times, it is noted that many lawmakers have been demanding answers about China's spy balloon fleet and espionage activities.
The article also highlights that while Russia is an immediate foreign policy issue for the Biden administration, China is seen as the greatest long-term challenger to American power.
The article suggests that Biden's broader actions to confront and constrain China will likely be the focus of his speech.
On the other hand, the Politico article focuses more on Biden's actual words during the State of the Union speech.
The article notes that although Biden did not name-check the balloon, he made it clear that the US would act to protect its sovereignty if China poses a threat.
Overall, both articles agree that Biden addressed the Chinese threat in his State of the Union speech, but differ in how they frame the recent incident with the spy balloon.
The New York Times emphasizes the long-term challenge that China poses to US power, while Politico focuses specifically on Biden's words during the speech.