US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to a senior Chinese official about his postponed trip to the country.
US officials said Blinken spoke to Central Foreign Affairs Bureau director Wang Yi today, postponing the scheduled visit.
But the secretary of state “has indicated that he intends to go” to China “as soon as possible, when conditions permit”.
Officials also said they “noted” China’s statement of regret, but said “the presence of this balloon in our airspace is a clear violation of our sovereignty as well as international law, and it is unacceptable that this has happened”.
The diplomatic dispute comes after a Chinese surveillance balloon was tracked by US intelligence in recent days.
In a press conference today, the US defense department said the Chinese spy balloon is heading east but poses “no physical or military threat” to civilians.
The Pentagon press secretary would not confirm the balloon’s current location, which operates at about 60,000 feet.
There’s also no evidence of nuclear or radioactive material on board, but it has the ability to be maneuvered, according to Brigadier General Pat Ryder.
The route of the spy balloon from China over the Aleutian Islands, through Canada and into Montana
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He also declined Chinese he claims the balloon was actually a “civilian airship” that had gone missing in American airspace.
US authorities said they now know the object, identified on Billings, Montana, Near one of three US nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base on Wednesday, a Chinese balloon flew over sensitive sites to gather intelligence.
A map showing where the balloon was sighted and the US Malmstrom Air Base
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a high-profile visit to China that was due to start on Sunday.
Senior State Department officials described the incident as a “clear violation of US sovereignty and international law” and said conditions were “not right at this time” for Blinken’s trip.
Mr Blinken was set to leave for China tonight before the trip was postponed, Sky News understands.
He plans to travel “when conditions permit,” according to officials.
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The Pentagon spokesman said the suspected Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States “violated international law,” adding that it poses no physical threat to people on the ground.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs a Beijing he admitted the balloon came from China but said it was for meteorological research and other scientific research.
The Pentagon spokesman said it was “closely monitoring the situation and will continue to review options.”
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The balloon will likely stay over the United States for a few days, the spokesman added.
US officials also confirmed that military intelligence had seen similar surveillance balloons before elsewhere.
The object is believed to have flown over the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaskaand through Canada before entering the United States.
Defense and military leaders had considered shooting the balloon from the sky, but decided against it due to the safety risk from falling debris.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin convened a meeting of senior defense and military leaders to review the balloon’s threat profile and possible responses, which were presented to the US president Joe Biden on Wednesday.
President Biden, speaking today at a White House conference on jobs, refused to answer questions on the matter.
The United States “urgently” involved Chinese officials and communicated the seriousness of the situation.
China and the United States have experienced tensions in recent times, clashing over Taiwan and China’s human rights record and its military activity in the South China Sea.
