After a rumored Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted over American airspace on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his first official trip to 

After a rumored Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted over American airspace on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his first official trip to Beijing. Pentagon authorities were able to monitor the balloon as it traveled eastward across the nation.

In a flurry of briefings spread throughout the day, American diplomats and military personnel attacked the Chinese leadership while providing little information about the ship's characteristics or whereabouts. The balloon did not endanger anyone on the ground, officials emphasized.

The incident takes place at a time when tensions between the two nations are already at an all-time high; Mr. Blinken's trip was intended to ease those tensions. Different trade issues, Taiwan's future, and Chinese economic influence in the US are just a few of the numerous causes of conflict. A meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping was on the itinerary for the trip.

Mr. Blinken cited the balloon as "an obvious violation of US sovereignty and international law" and an "irresponsible act" in justification of his decision to postpone the visit.

On Wednesday, the Pentagon declared that it was keeping an eye on a "high-altitude surveillance balloon" after it was initially seen over Billings, Montana, in US territory.

A senior defense source stated during a hastily arranged briefing on Thursday night that the balloon passed "over a lot of important facilities." A field of nuclear missile silos at Malmstrom Air Force Base is located a little over 320 kilometers (200 miles) from the town of Billings.

The US military scrambled F-22 fighter jets in case the choice was made to shoot it down due to the presence of an alleged Chinese surveillance craft over US airspace, the official continued. Due to the possibility that falling debris could hurt people on the ground, officials decided against taking such a course of action.

According to Air Force Brig Gen Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary, the balloon had "shifted course" after it was discovered and will continue to hover over American airspace for the foreseeable future.

While we won't get into specifics about the precise location, he said, "I can tell you that the balloon continues to drift eastward and is currently over the center of the continental United States." He added that it was at a height of about 60,000 feet.

“We currently assess that the balloon does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground at this time, and will continue to monitor and review options,” Brig Gen Ryder added.

China's foreign ministry stated the balloon was a "civilian airship" intended for "research, particularly meteorological purposes," and that it had "deviated considerably from its planned trajectory" due to wind in its first formal acknowledgment of the incident earlier in the day.

The foreign ministry used the legal word "force majeure," which refers to circumstances beyond one's control, to characterize the accidental entry of the airship into US airspace.

Earlier in the day, a senior State Department official debunked Beijing's assertion that the item was a civilian airship and charged Beijing with an "unacceptable violation of US sovereignty."

“We do acknowledge China’s statement of regret regarding this incident. We remain confident in our assessment of the situation,” the senior official said.

Sincerely speaking, the official explained the decision to postpone Mr. Blinken's visit: "In this current context, I think, it would have considerably reduced the agenda that we would have been able to cover."

The United States is currently being watched by a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon. In our regular conversations with our Chinese counterparts, we have made it very clear that this is a clear and unacceptable violation of US sovereignty and we will keep doing so.

After being briefed on the balloon three days earlier, President Joe Biden determined it should not be shot down after talking with Pentagon experts, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One.

Secretary Austin, Chairman Milley, and the commander of Northern Command all strongly advised against using kinetic force due to the dangers to the safety and security of the populace, according to Ms. Jean-Pierre. "President Biden took that military proposal seriously."

The White House official also stated that Mr. Biden supported Mr. Blinken's decision to postpone his currently scheduled trip to Beijing.

“It was a consensus that it was not appropriate to travel to the People’s Republic of China at this time. We know that the PRC issued a 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,” she said.

The Pentagon acknowledged that this was not the first time a Chinese surveillance balloon had been spotted over US airspace, but State Department officials were questioned by reporters about why this incident had prompted such a strong response while maintaining that lines of communication with Beijing remained open.

A senior State Department official told reporters, "We can point out one feature that is different this time; this is the first time it has happened on the eve of a secretary of a state visit to the PRC."

However, a defense official stated in a separate briefing that the duration of the event in US airspace was what made it unique.

The official from the defense department added, "I think the thing that is distinctive is the altitude and, of course, the readiness to place it over the continental United States for an extended length of time.

US calls Montana balloon ‘a clear violation of sovereignty and dismisses China’s claims it is not a spy ship

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