Blinken postponing China trip after 'unacceptable' violation by Chinese spy balloon: State Department official

Washington, February 3

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his planned trip to China due to tensions over a Chinese spy balloon over U.S. soil, a senior State Department official said on Friday, adding that Blinken would seek to travel to China "when conditions allow." China earlier expressed regret that what it called a "civilian" airship had strayed into U.S. territory after being blown off course, an incident that sparked political furor in the United States.

"We have noted the PRC (People's Republic of China) statement of regret, but the presence of this balloon in our airspace is a clear violation of our sovereignty as well as international law, and it is unacceptable that this has occurred," the official told reporters on a call.

"After consultations with our interagency partners as well as with Congress, we have concluded that the conditions are not right at this moment for Secretary Blinken to travel to China," the official said. Reuters

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