Beijing said on Saturday that US lawmakers and the media had profited from American claims that China had flown a spy balloon over the northwest region of the US.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a rare trip to Beijing on Friday after learning about the balloon.
Moments before the decision to cancel the visit was made China made a rare expression of remorse and attributed the entry of what it claimed was a civilian airship into US territory to winds.
China’s foreign ministry responded to Blinken’s announcement with another statement on Saturday.
According to the statement, “China never invaded the territory and airspace of any sovereign country.” “Some American politicians and journalists exploited the (balloon) event as an excuse to criticize and defame China,” it added.
Maintaining channels of communication at all levels, according to the ministry, was crucial particularly in dealing with certain unforeseen events in a calm and reliable manner.
The statement continued, “As a matter of fact, neither China nor the United States have announced any visit,” in reference to Blinken’s trip which was scheduled to start on Sunday and had received extensive media coverage in the United States.
We appreciate the United States’ determination to share the pertinent facts on its own.
