uS Foreign Minister Antony Blinken has called China’s actions in relation to the spy balloon discovered over the US “irresponsible” and “unacceptable”.
Blinken said in Washington on Friday that he said so to top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in a phone call. The balloon’s appearance in US airspace is a clear violation of US sovereignty and a clear violation of international law. The world expects the US and China to handle their relationship responsibly. The US is doing it and he expects China to do the same, Blinken said. All communication channels to China are kept open on the part of the USA.
The highest priority for the US is now to remove the balloon from its airspace, Blinken said. He did not say how that was to be done. The Pentagon had previously said it had decided against shooting down the balloon because of the danger of falling debris.
Blinken cancels China visit
Actually, Blinken should have left for a visit to China on Friday. However, in light of current events, the visit was canceled at the last minute. He intends to visit Beijing as soon as conditions allow, Blinken said. However, China’s behavior in the run-up to the planned visit has damaged substantive talks, Blinken said in relation to the balloon.
“The Minister has stated that given the ongoing matter, it would not be appropriate to visit Beijing now,” the US State Department said.
According to China a “civilian airship for research purposes”
On Thursday evening (local time), the Pentagon announced that it had been tracking a flying object in the airspace over the United States for days. One is sure that it is a Chinese spy balloon, it said.
China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday acknowledged that the balloon came from China and expressed regret over the incident. However, it is a “civilian airship used for research purposes, mainly for meteorological purposes”. The balloon went off course due to strong winds.
The US immediately contradicted this account: “The fact is, we know that it is a spy balloon,” said Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder.
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