Relations between the US and China have reached an all-time low. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the appearance of a “Chinese surveillance balloon” in US airspace “unacceptable” and “irresponsible”. China on Saturday firmly rejected allegations of espionage by the US. “We will not accept unfounded speculation and propaganda,” Beijing’s foreign ministry quoted top foreign policy chief Wang Yi as saying in his telephone conversation with Blinken.
Due to the incidents, Blinken canceled his visit to Beijing, which was expected for Sunday. It would be the first visit by a US secretary of state to China since 2018. According to media reports, Blinken should also have been received by Chinese head of state and party leader Xi Jinping. Although expectations for the visit were not high, there was hope that the visit would calm the strained relations.
Biden did not comment on the incident
The world expects the US and China to conduct 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. Blinken explained that he also told top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on the phone. US President Joe Biden has not commented on the incident in several public appearances.
Meanwhile, according to US information, another possible spy balloon is hovering over Latin America. “We are seeing reports of a balloon flying over Latin America. We are working to find out if this is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said in Washington. Initially, there was no information about the second balloon from Beijing.
Scientific research balloon
A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said the balloon was being used over the United States “for meteorological and other scientific research”. He had entered US airspace as a result of “force majeure”. “Due to the westerly wind drift and limited control options, the airship has deviated far from the planned route,” said the spokesman. “Some politicians and media in the US 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 Thursday evening the sighting of the first balloon in US airspace. At the time, the balloon was over the northwestern state of Montana, he said. The flying object has been in sight for a few days.
Balloon floating over the center of the United States
Friday afternoon, Ryder said the balloon hovered over the central 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 saw the balloon over Missouri on Friday.
No danger to people on the ground
The most important thing is to get the balloon out of US airspace, Secretary of State Blinken said. The flying object is highly maneuverable, Pentagon spokesman Ryder said. It is believed to fly over US territory for several more days. The Pentagon said the balloon was not a military threat. At its current height of more than 18 kilometers, it poses no threat to people on the ground or to air traffic.
The balloon is also of limited use for collecting information. However, the balloon’s proximity to a Montana air base, which caused a stir, according to the Wall Street Journal newspaper, caused 150 Minuteman III ICBMs equipped with nuclear warheads.
The government must act quickly
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 act quickly to get the balloon out. Former President Donald Trump wrote in his online network Truth Social: “Blast the balloon.” The Pentagon initially rejected it. The falling debris can pose a danger to people on the ground.
The chairman of the renowned foreign policy think tank Council on Foreign Relations, based in New York, Richard Haass, also told CNN TV that the balloon should be shot down. The expert criticized Blinken’s cancellation of 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 diplomatic channels were open. However, the Chinese actions undermined the purpose of the trip, which was to put relations with China on a more solid footing. The balloon’s intrusion into US airspace is a clear violation of US sovereignty and a violation of international law.
“Chinese have been spying on us for decades”
Loud calls for a tougher approach to China came from the ranks of US Republicans. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy warned that Biden should not be silent about the “brutal disregard for American sovereignty”. Former Pentagon boss Mark Esper, who served under Trump, also spoke of a “brutal action”. He told CNN: “The Chinese have been spying on us for decades.” The US needs to make it clear that they will not accept this. “You have to treat the Chinese as equals,” he warned. “They only respond to determination.”
The US would be pursuing a new Cold War
Relations between the two countries have been tense for some time. China’s support 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 are all causing discord. China accuses the US of trying to halt its rise and pursue a new Cold War.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
