US developing ‘sharper rules’ to monitor unknown aerial objects, says Biden

US president Joe Biden criticised China’s surveillance programme (Evan Vucci/AP)

US president Joe Biden said the country was developing “sharper rules” to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects, following three weeks of high-stakes drama sparked by the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting much of the country.

The president has directed national security adviser Jake Sullivan to lead an “interagency team” to review procedures after the US shot down the Chinese balloon, as well as three other objects that Mr Biden said the US now believed were most likely “benign” objects launched by private companies or research institutions.