Sam Gordon wrote: 

I think this will mostly be used by Republicans to push for a tougher policy on China or paint Biden as soft on defense. I don’t think the balloon situation will deter Biden from engaging China diplomatically, although it will probably make for more strained relations for a bit until things go back to normal.

Isa Harrison wrote: 

The balloon event could alert the greater public to potential Chinese hostility, and encourage the promotion of American military Hegemony. I think people who aren’t very engaged politically would think, “China sent a spy balloon? Why aren’t we sending spy balloons?” This kind of thinking is escalatory, rather than conducive to peacetime.

Nathan Heftman wrote: 

I think it’s ultimately going to signal a continually more hawkish and isolationist leaning for the U.S. which could escalate tensions between the U.S. and its rivals.

Avi Shah wrote: 

I think that the balloon situation will make it difficult for the US and China to cooperate on other initiatives. The US will bring up airspace violations to stall negotiations, while China will say that the balloon was solely a meteorological device and the US’s overreaction shows that they are being too aggressive.

Reagan Subeck wrote:

This will likely close off many diplomatic actions with Chinese officials such as our State Department’s canceling of the visit to China. This may lead to a decrease in the addressing and cooperation over global crises as these are two great powers.

Alex Two wrote: 

I just think it was funny. Maybe they were trying to invite us to a birthday party.