NEW YORK, February 3. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s scheduled visit to China next week will be postponed in the wake of the situation with "a spy balloon" which was tracked in US airspace, the ABC News television channel said on Friday, citing sources.

The exact dates of the visit were not announced. However, according to media sources, it was to take place on February 5-6.

The sources said that the United States is unwilling to blow the situation with the "spy balloon" out of proportion, but also fears it may dominate the talks in case they are held next week, as was originally scheduled.

Earlier, US Department of Defense Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said that an aerial object, presumed to be a Chinese spy balloon, had been spotted moving in the north of the country. In his words, the balloon "is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground." The US Department of Defense also pointed out that it was dangerous to shoot the balloon down due to its large size.

The spokesman added that after the balloon had been detected, the US government "acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information."

On Friday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson clarified that "the airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological purposes." The spokesperson added, "Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course.".