Beijing denounced the US’s destruction of the Chinese balloon that passed over American territory last week as a “clear overreaction,” saying that it reserved the right to respond.
(Bloomberg) — Beijing denounced the US’s destruction of the Chinese balloon that passed over American territory last week as a “clear overreaction,” saying that it reserved the right to respond.
The use of force against the balloon, which China said was for civilian use and entered the US accidentally, violated international practice, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday.
China had asked the US to handle the matter in a calm, professional and reserved manner, the ministry said, adding that the US Department of Defense had stated the balloon won’t pose a threat to personnel on the ground. Top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi had urged calm and close communication between the two countries to avoid misunderstanding in a call Friday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The US alleged the balloon was attempting to spy on strategic sites in the country. After days of waiting, it shot it down off the South Carolina coast on Saturday. The incident has injected new tension into US-China relations and led Blinken to postpone a visit to China and a chance to meet with President Xi Jinping.
US Downs Alleged Chinese Spy Balloon That Lingered for Days
China said on Friday that the balloon was a civilian airship conducting climate research and accidentally blew off course.
(Updates with additional details throughout.)
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