“Our commitment to maintain open channels of communication will continue,” however, promised General Pat Ryder, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, following this rejection confirming the deterioration of relations between the two first world powers.
The American army shot down on Saturday, off the coast of South Carolina, this Chinese balloon considered by the Pentagon as a spy balloon, intended to collect sensitive information. Beijing maintains for its part that it was a civil aerostat, mainly intended to collect meteorological data.
A new Chinese balloon spotted over Latin America: Beijing advances explanations
“On Saturday, February 4, just following taking action to bring down the Chinese Communist Party balloon, the (US) Department of Defense submitted a request for a secure call between Minister Austin and the Chinese Secretary of Defense Wei Fenghe,” detailed General Ryder.
“Communications between our armies are particularly important at times like these. Unfortunately the Chinese Communist Party has declined our request,” he added.
The Chinese government said on Monday that the United States, by shooting down the Chinese balloon which flew over their territory, had “seriously affected and damaged” relations between the two countries.
Chinese observation balloon shot down: the United States has recovered the first debris and does not intend to return them to China
