China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the balloon suspected by the US of spying has a “civilian” purpose, mainly used for meteorological research. Terming the balloon as a ‘civilian aeroplane’, the ministry said in a statement that the balloon had limited operational capability due to wind and that it had “deviated far from its planned course”. It said China regrets the unintended entry of its balloon into US airspace.
America rejected China’s claim
The US rejected China’s claim that it was not being used for surveillance. Ryder declined to provide further details on where exactly the balloon is and whether there are any plans to shoot it down. The US military ruled out the option of shooting down the balloon. The rider said that it is at an altitude of about 60,000 feet and at the moment there is no danger from it. Earlier they had said that only one balloon had been sighted.
Blinken’s trip to China postponed
By shooting down the balloon, its debris can pose a danger to the common citizens. Even though China is not taking the whole matter very seriously, it has created a stir in America. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his visit to Beijing in response to the sighting of a Chinese spy balloon. The US decision came at a time when Blinken was about to leave Washington for Beijing a few hours later. With this, the already strained US-China relations have suffered another setback.
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Officials said Blinken and President Joe Biden have decided it is best not to travel at this time. Blinken will be the top official from President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China as part of efforts to ease tensions over trade, Taiwan, human rights and China’s claims in the South China Sea. Ryder said that similar ballooning activity has been observed over the past several years and that the government has taken steps to ensure that no sensitive information is stolen.
(with agency inputs)