The US Department of Defense (The Pentagon) revealed reports that another reconnaissance balloon was being monitored crossing Latin America, while the Chinese Foreign Ministry spoke of compelling reasons that led to the balloon's flight in American airspace.

Pentagon spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder said - in a statement obtained by Al Jazeera - that the Pentagon monitored reports about a balloon crossing Latin America, adding that the Pentagon's assessment is that it is another Chinese reconnaissance balloon.

For its part, CNN quoted a US official as saying that the balloon did not appear to be heading to the United States.

The Canadian Ministry of Defense had said earlier that it was still monitoring the reconnaissance balloon at a high altitude, noting that it was in constant contact with the United States.

Cancel visit to Beijing

Meanwhile, the US State Department confirmed that Secretary Anthony Blinken made a phone call to his Chinese counterpart, Chen Jang, to inform him not to travel to Beijing in light of the presence of a Chinese spy balloon over American airspace.

And the US State Department confirmed - in a statement - that Blinken made it clear to his Chinese counterpart that it would not be appropriate to visit Beijing at the present time, in light of the balloon issue.

Blinken said he had made it clear to his Chinese counterpart that the entry of the airship into US territory was a violation of sovereignty, adding that his country was confident that the Chinese airship was being used for espionage purposes.

The US Secretary of State said that the United States is committed to diplomacy with China, and that he is still planning to visit it when conditions permit, as he put it.

Blinken stressed - in a press conference with his South Korean counterpart Park Jin - that his country will continue to maintain open lines of communication with China.

Also in the American response, a Pentagon spokesman said that the Chinese airship is flying in American airspace, and that the Ministry of Defense is studying options to deal with it in light of the threat it may pose.


compelling reasons

On the other hand, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Minister Chen Jang informed Blinken by phone of his country's rejection of any baseless speculation about the balloon incident, and the two sides also discussed how to deal with accidents in a calm and professional manner and avoid miscalculation.

"China has always strictly observed international law, and respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries," the ministry said in a statement.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry reaffirmed that the balloon's flight in American airspace was an accident beyond the will, and accused some politicians and the media in the United States of exploiting the matter to attack Beijing and tarnish its image.

And the Chinese Foreign Ministry had said earlier that the airship, which was monitored by the United States, was civilian, and was used for research purposes, especially air monitoring, adding that the airship had deviated from its planned path, and that it regretted that it entered US airspace unintentionally.