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China urges US to repair damage done to relations between countries in balloon situation

Wang Yi, head of the office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, also demanded that the American side "change its course" on this issue

BEIJING, February 19. /TASS/. Chinese State Councilor and Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Office Wang Yi, during a meeting in Munich with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, outlined Beijing's position on the incident with the Chinese balloon and demanded that Washington eliminate the damage to bilateral relations caused by the abuse of force, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

"Wang Yi expressed China's firm and fair position on the so-called balloon situation and demanded that the US side change its course and soberly assess and repair the harm caused to China-US relations by the abuse of force," the ministry said in a statement published on its website.

Earlier, US authorities had detected a Chinese balloon over the mainland at an altitude well above standard parameters for commercial air travel. It posed no threat to people on the ground. On February 4, the balloon was shot down by a missile in US airspace. According to the Washington administration, China was using this vehicle to gather important intelligence. In connection with the incident, Blinken postponed his visit to China.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry protested over Washington’s attacks and slander. Beijing explained that the Chinese weather probe was in US airspace due to force majeure.

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China United States Antony Blinken

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