The Biden administration appears to be trying to keep a low profile following the downing of the balloon, which the US says was intended to gather intelligence on key military installations.
Joe Biden said he “doesn’t seek conflict” with China during an interview with PBS television, some 24 hours after a US Air Force fighter jet shot down a Chinese balloon flying high over the territory.
“No,” the US president replied when the PBS reporter asked him if he thought Washington’s relations with Beijing had suffered a “hard blow”.
“We will compete on all fronts with China, but we do not seek conflict,” the US president insisted.
“I talk to them. I have spoken to Xi Jinping, and our team is talking to his,” he added.
The Biden administration appears to be trying to keep a low profile following the downing of the balloon, which the US says was intended to gather intelligence on key military installations.
Just yesterday, Tuesday, Mr. Biden declared in his State of the Union address that “if China threatens our national sovereignty, we will take action to protect our country.”
Relations between the two superpowers further soured over the affair.
Chinese diplomacy strongly condemned the destruction of the balloon, which it insisted was scientific, used for research purposes, “mainly meteorological”, and was found because it had veered “unintentionally” into US airspace.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken canceled a planned visit to China at the last minute.
At the same time, the Pentagon announced the day before Tuesday that Beijing rejected on Saturday a request by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to have a telephone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fangha.
RES-EMP
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
