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US-China relations
ChinaDiplomacy

Balloon saga: China accuses US of damaging Xi-Biden summit push for stable ties

  • Some US balloons have flown over Xinjiang and Tibet without Beijing’s permission, foreign ministry says
  • China urges US not to take further actions that would harm China’s interests

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China says its airship was a weather balloon while the US says it was for surveillance. Photo: Chase Doak/AFP
Amber Wangin Beijing
China has accused the US of “seriously undermining” efforts since last year’s G20 summit to stabilise ties between the two countries, a new low in relations since a war of words erupted over the balloon saga.
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Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin also said “a large number” of high-altitude balloons had been released from the United States for “continuous global navigation”.
The balloons had flown over Chinese airspace without China’s permission more than 10 times since May, with some going above the regions of Xinjiang and Tibet, Wang said on Wednesday.

In addition, he warned that China would retaliate against the US decision to shoot down a Chinese balloon and add six Chinese entities to an export blacklist over alleged links to Beijing’s suspected “spy balloon” programme.

“China is strongly opposed to this and will take countermeasures against relevant US entities that have undermined our sovereignty and security to firmly safeguard our sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests,” Wang said.

02:34

Chinese balloon row: Joe Biden says US-China relations have not taken a big hit

Chinese balloon row: Joe Biden says US-China relations have not taken a big hit

Four objects have been shot down over North America in the past fortnight. Washington identified the first one as a surveillance balloon while China said it was a weather balloon that had accidentally strayed into US airspace.

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