China has accused the United States of infringing on its sovereignty and threatened to retaliate. Despite speculation that the top diplomats of the United States and China will meet in Germany, it could exacerbate long-running tensions in the U.S.-China relationship.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that the Chinese balloon shot down by the US military this month over the coast of South Carolina had simply gone off course and entered US airspace. He reiterated China’s previous claims.
On top of that, he criticized the Biden administration’s decision to shoot down the plane, saying, “China strongly protests. In order to resolutely defend its sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, the United States affiliates have violated our sovereignty and security. We will take countermeasures,” he said.
The Chinese government claims that US balloons have violated Chinese airspace about 10 times since May last year, but Wang said some of them flew over Xinjiang and Tibet. Some countries, including the United States, have accused the two autonomous regions of human rights abuses against ethnic minorities, a claim China denies.
U.S. and China diplomats discuss talks for first time since balloon issue surfaced
U.S. Secretary of State Brinken is considering meeting China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, at the Munich Security Conference in Germany this week, according to people familiar with the matter. However, the situation remains uncertain as China continues to criticize the United States. The United States believes China is flying balloons over countries as part of a global reconnaissance program.
Original title:China Warns of Retaliation Against US Entities in Balloon Saga(excerpt)