According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, China’s top foreign minister “made no apologies” during their discussion over the surveillance balloon that passed over the United States on Saturday.
No Apology
No apology was made, according to Blinken’s account of his talk with Wang Yi, the head of the Communist Party’s Central Foreign Affairs division.
Moreover, he informed him this was an excellent time to address the issue of China sending a surveillance balloon above American soil, violating US sovereignty and international law.
China’s senior foreign minister offered 'no apology' in his meeting with Secretary of State Blinken for the suspected spy balloon that was shot down by the U.S., Blinken says in an interview with @meetthepress. https://t.co/D7R6McuuLg
— Breaking News (@BreakingNews) February 18, 2023
Blinken just informed him that what happened was wrong and would never occur again. Before the press conference, Blinken met with Wang on Saturday outside the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
He expressed worry in the press conference about China assisting Russia in their conflict in Ukraine. Exclusively on Saturday, NBC News revealed that US authorities suspect China of giving Russia non-lethal military support.
President Joe Biden has frequently spoken explicitly with President Xi Jinping about his concerns that China is considering aiding Russia’s belligerence against Ukraine with lethal assistance.
Blinken made it clear that this would have severe repercussions for our relationship.
On Blinken’s comments on China sending weapons to Russia
China's Wang Wenbin: "It is US who has continuously provided weapons to the war. US isn't qualified to issue orders to China. We don't accept US finger-pointing on China-Russia relations, let alone coercion and pressure." pic.twitter.com/81ZCInUXzW
— the Lemniscat (@theLemniscat) February 20, 2023
Open Lines of Communication
The world expects the US to manage this relationship properly; therefore, they needed to have a chance that evening in Munich, according to Blinken. He also claimed he told Wang that there should be open communication channels between China and the U.S.
During his meeting with Blinken on Saturday, Wang stated in Munich that the United States’ actions on the balloon had been “hysterical” and an infraction of international law.
According to a Chinese official statement, Wang warned Blinken on Saturday that the U.S. needs to rectify the harm done to U.S.-China ties by its “abuse of power.”
Blinken claimed on “Meet the Press” that he informed Wang how Chinese surveillance balloons have also targeted countries other than the United States. These balloons have flown over more than 40 nations in recent years, and the world is aware of it.
Since the United States fired down what it claims was a spy blimp off the coast of South Carolina, diplomatic relations between the two countries have risen. The balloon was not designed for spying, according to China.
According to a senior State Department official, the balloon builder established contacts with the Chinese military. The blimp, which was in the air over the US for eight days, had multiple antennae capable of gathering signal information.
A senior State Department official said on Saturday the United States has not received any reasonable justification and therefore stands by its conclusion that the object was a surveillance balloon.
When asked if the balloon’s presence was purposeful, Blinken said it was an attempt to monitor susceptible military locations.
He clarified that A) this was a monitoring balloon and B) it was aggressively engaging in surveillance.
This article appeared in NewsHouse and has been published here with permission.
