China admitted it on Friday The air balloon that flew over the United States at high altitude belongs to him, after having previously asked not to “speculate” after the accusations launched by the Pentagon.
“The airship comes from China. It is a civilian airship used for research purposes, mainly meteorological,” the Asian giant’s foreign ministry clarified in an evening statement.
The Pentagon said it has decided don’t shoot down the ball that it was flying over potentially sensitive locations, fearing the injuries it could inflict on people on the ground.
The reports came to light as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to make his first trip to Beijing this weekend. There was no formal announcement of the visit and it was initially unclear whether it was the discovery of the balloon it would affect your travel plans.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said on Friday he had no information on the matter.
Blinken would be the highest-ranking Joe Biden administration official to visit China. His mission would be mitigatedr a sharp deterioration in bilateral relationswith trade disputes and an increasingly aggressive stance by Beijing towards Taiwan and the South China Sea.
In a statement released on Friday, China’s foreign affairs ministry said the balloon was a civilian aircraft used primarily for meteorological research. According to the ministry, the balloon had limited “self-steering” capability and “significantly deviated from its intended course” due to the winds.
“The Chinese side regret the involuntary entry aircraft in U.S. airspace due to force majeure,” the statement added, citing a legal term used to refer to out-of-control events.
EFE and AP
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.