China’s foreign ministry said on Saturday it “strongly opposes and protests” the US decision. shoot down a spy balloon It has remained in U.S. airspace for the past few days and warned that its actions may require an unspecified “response.”
“China strongly opposes and protests against US attacks The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “Forcibly boarded a private unmanned airship.” force majeure It was totally unexpected.
“The Chinese side clearly asked the US side to properly handle this issue calmly, professionally and in a restrained manner,” it added. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense also said balloons pose no military or physical threat to people on the ground.
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“U.S. use of force in such circumstances is clearly an overreaction and a grave violation of international practice,” the ministry added. China resolutely defends the legitimate rights and interests of the enterprise and reserves the right to take further action if necessary.”
China’s sharp reaction came the next day warned the United States He opposed taking any action against the surveillance balloon, saying US politicians and media had “hyped” the incident to “attack and smear China”.
The Pentagon determined that the balloon was “maneuverable” and hovered over U.S. airspace at 60,000 feet for one minute, but it also said China “has no intention of encroaching on the territory or airspace of any sovereign nation.” and have never infringed.” Several days.
The official response of the Chinese government is also reflected in China’s state-run news services. The Xinhua News Agency has accused the US military and media of using the prevalence of reconnaissance balloons over US skies to start “hyping” the Chinese threat.
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“The United States is being urged to take more sincere and concrete actions to resolve issues with China rather than making more provocations,” analysts said, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
On Saturday, the Chinese embassy in the United States said Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of China’s Central Committee, spoke with Secretary of State Antony Brinken, who postponed a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping because of the incident. . The embassy reported that Wang told Blinken that China “will not accept any unsubstantiated speculation or hype” about the incident.
“In the face of unforeseen circumstances, both sides should maintain stability, communicate on time, avoid misunderstandings and manage disagreements,” the embassy said.
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Another Chinese state-run news outlet, the Global Times, reported that China had expressed “strong dissatisfaction and protest” against the United States for shooting down a “Chinese civilian airship.”
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“China clearly demands that the United States properly handle the case in a calm, professional and restrained manner,” the Times reported.