US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, in the first meeting between the two nations since an alleged spy balloon was shot down over America.
The hour-long bout took place in Germany, where the two were attending the Munich Security Conferencewhich discusses the most pressing challenges to international security.
After the meeting, Blinken told CBS, “I made it clear to him that China sending its surveillance balloon over the United States in violation of our sovereignty, in violation of international law, is unacceptable and he must never again to happen”.
Even the secretary of state repeated the words of President Joe Biden that Washington is not seeking a “new cold war,” but the country “will unapologetically defend [its] values and interests,” his spokesperson said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese diplomat Wang Yi
The strife between the two countries has grown since shooting down of the balloon off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, with Mr. Blinken postponing a trip to Beijing shortly afterwards.
Earlier, Mr. Wang renewed Beijing’s criticism of the United States, arguing that shooting down the balloon did not indicate the country’s strength.
“The actions don’t show that the United States is big and strong, they describe the exact opposite,” he said.
China he always insisted that the balloon was being used for meteorological and other scientific research and had been blown off course due to high winds and limited “self-steering” capabilities.
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Flying objects ‘not related to China’ shot down
In addition to the balloon incident, Blinken reiterated his warning to China to assist Russia in the war against Ukraine.
Blinken wrote on Twitter: “I have warned China against providing material support to Russia. I have also stressed the importance of keeping lines of communication open.”
To know more:
Spy balloons and flying objects: a history of what was shot down
China has ‘high-altitude balloon program linked to military’
Concerns about deepening relations between Moscow and China were echoed in a speech by the vice president Kamala Harriswhich stated that “any step by China to provide lethal support to Russia would only repay aggression, continue to kill, and further undermine a rules-based order.”
Without mentioning the balloon incident, Ms Harris stressed that it was important to maintain the “rules-based international order”.
In a statement shortly before Ms. Harris’ speech, Wang said China hopes the United States takes “a pragmatic and positive approach towards China that allows us to work together.”
