Shoot down of object over Alaska ‘success’: Biden

President Joe Biden has told CNN that the shoot down a "high-altitude object" hovering over Alaska "was a success," shortly after American national security officials disclosed that the commander-in-chief gave the US military approval to take the action.

The announcement comes after the administration was subjected to a slew of questions about the timing of Biden's decision to shoot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina last Saturday. This time, the president took more decisive action to swiftly take down the object near Alaska, but key questions about the origin of the object and its functionality remain unanswered.

The president was first briefed Thursday night "as soon as the Pentagon had enough information," on the object, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby said, adding that at the recommendation of the Pentagon, Biden ordered the military "to down the object – and they did."

Biden, asked later on Friday if he had any comment on the object shot down over Alaska, told CNN, "It was a success."

Meanwhile, the US Commerce Department is restricting six Chinese companies tied to the Chinese army's aerospace programmes from obtaining US technology without government authorisation.

The six companies are: Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology; China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute; Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology; Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group; Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology; and Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group.

The six companies support the Chinese government's "modernization efforts, specifically those related to aerospace programs, including airships and balloons and related materials and components, that are used by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) for intelligence and reconnaissance," the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security said in a statement.

The inclusion of the companies on the Commerce Department's "Entity List," sends "a clear message to companies, governments, and other stakeholders globally that the entities on the list present a threat to national security," the statement said.