NYT WORLD: Furor Over Chinese Spy Balloon Leads to a Diplomatic Crisis
By Edward Wong, Helene Cooper and Chris Buckley
Section: World
Source: New York Times
Published Date: February 3, 2023 at 02:00AM
The cancellation was the culmination of a diplomatic clash that had been unfolding since at least Wednesday over the balloon, and the episode adds to the rising tensions over policies and military actions between the two superpowers. Mr. Blinken had planned to leave Friday night for the trip, the first visit by a U.S. secretary of state to China since 2018.
He had been expected to meet with President Xi Jinping and discuss a wide range of issues. But the appearance of the balloon was a violation of sovereignty, and Mr. Blinken and other U.S. officials made clear to Chinese officials in Washington and Beijing that the intrusion was “unacceptable and irresponsible,” a senior State Department official said.
Some prominent Republican lawmakers and officials began criticizing President Biden on Thursday for allowing the balloon to drift for days over the United States and not taking harsher measures against China.
The balloon, which had traveled over Alaska and Canada earlier, was still above the United States on Friday, U.S. officials said.
Mr. Blinken and Wendy Sherman, the deputy secretary of state, spoke with the Chinese Embassy on Wednesday night about the balloon, and on Friday morning Mr. Blinken told China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, that he was postponing his trip, the officials said.
There is no new date for Mr. Blinken’s trip, and aides said he would make the visit when conditions were right.
The appearance of the Chinese balloon, on the eve of Mr. Blinken’s visit, would have narrowed the range of discussions, said State Department officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
By Edward Wong, Helene Cooper and Chris Buckley
Section: World
Source: New York Times
Published Date: February 3, 2023 at 02:00AM
The Pentagon called the object, which has flown from Montana to Kansas, an “intelligence-gathering” balloon. Beijing said it was used mainly for weather research and had strayed off course.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Friday canceled a weekend trip to Beijing after a Chinese high-altitude balloon, described as an “intelligence-gathering” airship by the Pentagon and a stray civilian device by China, was detected floating over the United States this week.The cancellation was the culmination of a diplomatic clash that had been unfolding since at least Wednesday over the balloon, and the episode adds to the rising tensions over policies and military actions between the two superpowers. Mr. Blinken had planned to leave Friday night for the trip, the first visit by a U.S. secretary of state to China since 2018.
He had been expected to meet with President Xi Jinping and discuss a wide range of issues. But the appearance of the balloon was a violation of sovereignty, and Mr. Blinken and other U.S. officials made clear to Chinese officials in Washington and Beijing that the intrusion was “unacceptable and irresponsible,” a senior State Department official said.
Some prominent Republican lawmakers and officials began criticizing President Biden on Thursday for allowing the balloon to drift for days over the United States and not taking harsher measures against China.
The balloon, which had traveled over Alaska and Canada earlier, was still above the United States on Friday, U.S. officials said.
Mr. Blinken and Wendy Sherman, the deputy secretary of state, spoke with the Chinese Embassy on Wednesday night about the balloon, and on Friday morning Mr. Blinken told China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, that he was postponing his trip, the officials said.
There is no new date for Mr. Blinken’s trip, and aides said he would make the visit when conditions were right.
The appearance of the Chinese balloon, on the eve of Mr. Blinken’s visit, would have narrowed the range of discussions, said State Department officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Read More at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/03/world/asia/china-spy-balloon.html
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