US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken decided to postpone a trip to China after the discovery of a high-altitude Chinese spy balloon over the US on Friday.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told Air Force One that President Joe Biden supported Blinken’s decision.
Blinken told his Chinese counterpart that it was “irresponsible” for Beijing to send an observation balloon over US territory and explained why he postponed the visit.
In a telephone conversation with Wang Yi, Blinken noted “China’s statement of regret, but said it was an irresponsible act and a clear violation of US sovereignty and international law, which undermines the purpose of the trip,” the State Department said in a statement.
The postponement of Blinken’s trip, which was orchestrated in November by Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, came as a blow to those on both sides who saw it as a belated opportunity to stabilize increasingly tense relations. The last visit of the US Secretary of State was in 2017.
A Chinese spy balloon was spotted about 60,000 feet (18,300 meters) above the central United States, showing maneuverability, the US military said Friday.
The disclosure of the reconnaissance balloon’s maneuverability directly casts doubt on China’s claim that the balloon was just a civilian airship that strayed into US soil after being blown off course.
“We know that this is a Chinese (reconnaissance) balloon and that it can maneuver,” the US Air Force brig said. Gen. Patrick Ryder made the announcement at a Pentagon briefing, declining to say exactly how it was activated or who in China controlled its flight path.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday decided not to shoot down the balloon as it flew over Montana due to U.S. military concerns about the likely dispersal of debris, U.S. officials say.
The Pentagon expects the balloon to continue flying over U.S. airspace for a few more days, Ryder said, declining to speculate about what options the U.S. military might develop in the meantime as there were speculations about whether Biden could still order the destruction of the air the ball or perhaps capture it. .
Ryder said the US military would not reveal exactly where the balloon was located over the central United States, saying he didn’t want to go into an “hourly” update cycle. He said that people in any state in the US can look up at the sky if they want to.
“The public certainly has the opportunity to look up into the sky and see where the balloon is,” Ryder said.
Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said the spy balloon was over the northeastern part of his state and his staff was in contact with law enforcement officials.
“I condemn any attempt by the Chinese to spy on the Americans. President Biden must protect US sovereignty,” Marshall tweeted.
Ryder added that the balloon does not pose a danger to people on the ground.
He spoke amid growing political controversy over the presence of a Chinese balloon over the US.
Biden ignored questions about the balloon when speaking about the economy on Friday morning.
Chinese spy satellites are equipped with sensors similar to those US officials believe are on a spy balloon, raising questions about why Beijing would do such a brazen act on the eve of a major diplomatic event.
However, according to officials, the Chinese spy balloon has chosen a flight path that would allow it to fly over a number of important objects. One such place could be military bases, including those in Montana where ICBM silos are located.
Billings, Montana Airport announced the landing on Wednesday as the military mobilized funds, including F-22 fighter jets, in case Biden ordered the balloon to be shot down.
