US Secretary of State Blinken has sharply criticized China for the alleged spy balloon in US airspace. China denies the allegations. Meanwhile, a second balloon appears.
US-China relations have hit rock bottom. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the appearance of a “Chinese surveillance balloon” in US airspace “unacceptable” and “irresponsible”.
China firmly rejected the American espionage allegations on Saturday. “We do not accept baseless speculation and propaganda,” the foreign ministry in Beijing quoted top foreign policy chief Wang Yi as saying from his telephone conversation with Blinken.
Trip to Beijing canceled
Because of the incidents, Blinken canceled his visit to Beijing, which was expected for Sunday. It would have been the first visit by a US Secretary of State to China since 2018. According to media reports, Blinken was also to be received by China’s head of state and party leader Xi Jinping. Although the expectations of the visit were not high, there were hopes that the visit would calm down the severely tense relationships.
The world expects the US and China to handle their relations responsibly, Blinken said at a news conference in Washington on Friday. The US is doing it and he expects China to do the same. He also said that to China’s top diplomat Wang Yi on the phone, Blinken explained. US President Joe Biden did not comment on the incident in several public appearances.
Another possible spy balloon appears
Meanwhile, according to US information, another possible espionage balloon is hovering over Latin America. “We’re seeing reports of a balloon flying over Latin America. We’re finding out if that’s another Chinese surveillance balloon,” Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said in Washington. Initially, there was no information about the second balloon from Beijing.
A State Department spokesman said the balloon over the United States was used “for meteorological and other scientific research.” He was invaded by “force majeure” in the US airspace. “Due to the westerly wind drift and limited control options, the airship has deviated far from the planned route,” said the spokesman. “Some US politicians and media have taken advantage of the situation to attack and discredit China.”
The Pentagon did not accept this. “We know it’s a surveillance balloon,” Ryder said. The Department of Defense announced the sighting of the first balloon in US airspace on Thursday evening. At that time, the balloon was over the northwestern state of Montana, it said. The flying object has been in view for a few days.
At noon on Friday, Ryder said the balloon was hovering over the center of the United States. It was said to be heading east. Matthew Smith, a US citizen who says he usually watches storms, said on CNN that he spotted the balloon over the state of Missouri on Friday.
Top priority: remove balloon
The most important thing is to get the balloon out of US airspace, said Foreign Minister Blinken. The flying object is very manoeuvrable, said Pentagon spokesman Ryder. It is assumed that he will fly over US territory for several more days. The Pentagon said the balloon was not a military threat. At its current altitude of more than 18 kilometers, it poses no danger to people on the ground or to air traffic.
The balloon is also only of limited use for gathering information. However, the proximity of the balloon to an air force base in Montana, where, according to the newspaper “Wall Street Journal” 150 Minuteman III ICBMs equipped with nuclear warheads, caused a sensation.
There were also calls to shoot down the balloon. House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said the balloon should never have entered US airspace. The government must take action quickly to remove the balloon from it. Ex-President Donald Trump wrote on his online network Truth Social: “Shoot the balloon.” However, the Pentagon initially rejected it. The falling debris could pose a danger to people on the ground.
Experts criticize Blinke’s decision
The President of the renowned foreign policy think tank Council on Foreign Relations based in New York, Richard Haass, also told the CNN TV channel that the balloon should be shot down. The expert criticized the fact that Blinken canceled his trip to China. Right now it is important to talk to China.
Blinken argued that the United States was in contact with China and that diplomatic channels were open. However, China’s actions undermined the purpose of the trip to put relations with China on a more solid footing. The balloon’s entry into US airspace is a clear violation of US sovereignty and a violation of international law.
Loud calls for a tougher approach to China came from the ranks of the US Republicans. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy warned that Biden must not remain silent about the “brazen disregard for US sovereignty”. Ex-Pentagon boss Mark Esper, who was in office under Trump, also spoke of a “brazen action”. He told CNN, “The Chinese have been spying on us for decades.” The USA would have to make it clear that they would not put up with this. “You have to treat the Chinese as equals,” he warned. “They only respond to determination.”
The relationship between the two countries has been extremely tense for a long time. China’s backing for Russia’s war in Ukraine, Chinese threats against Taiwan, Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea, the trade war, and US export controls on high-tech all cause contention. China accuses the US of wanting to stem its rise and pursuing a new Cold War.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
