US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled a rare trip to Beijing after a Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted over Latin America, a day after a similar craft was detected in US airspace. The Pentagon confirmed that the first balloon, now heading eastward over the central United States, would not be shot down for safety reasons. Later on Friday, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said, “We are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America… We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” without specifying its exact location.
China issued a rare statement of regret over the first balloon, blaming winds for pushing what it called a civilian airship into US airspace. The Biden administration, however, described the object as a maneuverable “surveillance balloon.” In a telephone call with senior Chinese official Wang Yi, Blinken told Wang that the balloon’s presence in US airspace was “a clear violation of US sovereignty and international law, an irresponsible act.” He added that the United States remained committed to diplomatic engagement with China and that he planned to visit Beijing when conditions allowed. “The first step is getting the surveillance asset out of our airspace. That’s what we’re focused on,” Blinken said to reporters. Wang responded that the two discussed the incident “in a calm and professional manner,” emphasizing that China is a responsible country that “strictly abides by international law” and urging both sides to avoid “groundless speculation and hype” and to manage divergence.
Blinken would have been the first top US diplomat to visit China since October 2018, signaling a potential thaw after the intense friction of the Trump era. He had said the trip would help establish “guardrails” to prevent the relationship from escalating into open conflict. Republican lawmakers quickly seized on the balloon incident, portraying President Biden as weak. Senator Tom Cotton tweeted, “President Biden should stop coddling and appeasing the Chinese communists. Bring the balloon down now and exploit its tech package, which could be an intelligence bonanza.” Former President Donald Trump added, “Shoot down the balloon!” on his Truth Social platform.
After initial hesitation, Beijing admitted ownership of the airship, describing it as a civilian research vehicle used mainly for meteorological purposes. A foreign ministry spokesperson said the balloon veered off course due to wind, calling the unintended entry into US airspace “force majeure.” The statement added that China regretted the incident and would continue communicating with the United States to handle the situation properly.
A US defense official said President Biden had asked about military options, but the Pentagon believed shooting the balloon down could endanger people on the ground with falling debris. The official, speaking anonymously, noted that the balloon had “limited additive value from an intelligence collection perspective.” While the United States is widely believed to conduct espionage on China, it generally employs more advanced technology than balloons. The northwestern United States, home to sensitive airbases and underground nuclear silos, remains a particular focus.
In the broader region, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, visiting the Philippines this week, agreed to expand the American military presence there, following a separate troop agreement with Japan. These moves suggest the United States is preparing for a potential conflict over Taiwan, which China claims as its own, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. President Biden held a surprisingly cordial meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November on the sidelines of a summit in Bali, where they agreed to send Blinken to Beijing. Nonetheless, a US military officer recently warned his forces to be ready for war with China. Air Mobility Command chief General Mike Minihan wrote in a memo, “I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025,” adding that the 2024 US elections could “offer Xi a distracted America.”
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