China’s top diplomat Wang Yi has lashed out at the United States over the balloon incident earlier this month. At a security conference in Munich, Germany, Wang called the Americans’ action “unimaginable”, “hysterical” and “absurd”.
The US military shot down a Chinese balloon two weeks ago. The balloon is seen by the US as a Chinese espionage tool, partly due to the presence of antennas to intercept communications. China claims the balloon was carrying out scientific measurements.
“There are so many balloons in the world, is the United States going to shoot them all?” Wang wondered. He is China’s top foreign diplomat.
He called on the Americans never to do “such a ridiculous thing” again and spoke of a violation of international rules. “It doesn’t show that America is a strong country. On the contrary, it shows the other side.”
Sovereignty
The balloon incident has further soured relations between China and the United States. The balloon was seen above the state of Montana, where an important American airbase is located. Ultimately, President Biden made the decision to have him taken down. The US House of Representatives called China’s action “a brutal violation” of sovereignty.
US Secretary of State Blinken previously also canceled a visit to China because of this balloon incident. The US minister will leave Munich again tomorrow, but it is not clear whether a meeting between Blinken and Wang Yi is planned.
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