'Spy balloon': Beijing regrets 'unintentional' violation of US airspace
The Chinese balloon floating over Montana, February 1, 2023. AP - Larry Mayer
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
For several days, the Pentagon said it was monitoring a Chinese balloon suspected of espionage over American territory.
After calling for restraint, Beijing finally express regret.
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Chinese authorities said they regretted
the balloon's entry into US airspace
.
Chinese diplomacy recognizes that it is a Chinese balloon, and in this case an
unmanned "
civilian airship " intended to carry out "
mainly meteorological research
".
The statement from the Foreign Ministry spokesperson also explains that the craft would have entered United States airspace after deviating from its path due to the prevailing westerly winds which circulate at high altitude. , reports our correspondent in Beijing,
Stéphane Lagarde
.
It would therefore be, according to Beijing, a “
case of force majeure
”.
Terms that exempt the infringer from part of their liability in the event of an unforeseen event, such as a natural disaster.
"
The Chinese side will continue to communicate with the American side and properly handle this unexpected situation
," said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, after speaking to the press earlier in the day, indicating that he had checked and called for do not “make the case worse”.
“
A clear violation of our sovereignty
”
The incident occurred three days before Antony Blinken's visit to China, where the American secretary of state was to pick up the pieces of a very deteriorated Sino-American relationship.
Despite the "
regrets
" of the Chinese authorities, the visit was canceled.
"
The presence of this balloon is a clear violation of our sovereignty and international law
," said a US official.
“
We have communicated very clearly to our Chinese counterparts that this is unacceptable and irresponsible
,” he added.
All while specifying that the Biden administration had felt that “
it was just not the right time for the Secretary of State to go there now
”.
The US Secretary of State must reschedule this trip as soon as the “
conditions are met
”.
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Also to listen: "The Chinese authorities taunt the United States above their own territory"
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