On Saturday night, the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, warned Chinese and German officials that the recent Chinese spy balloon incident should never happen again.
In the meeting, American officials reportedly described the nature of the discussions as "confrontational." The State Department also released a statement regarding Blinken's meeting with PRC State Councilor and Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Office Wang Yi.
Anthony Blinken's Warning
In it, spokesman Ned Price said that Blinken directly argued that unacceptable violation of US sovereignty and international law conducted by the PRC's alleged high-altitude surveillance balloon within American territorial airspace. The US official underscored the irresponsible act, demanding it to be the last time.
The Saturday meeting between the officials was made to discuss the margins of the Munich Security Conference. Price added that during the talks, Blinken said that the Chinese spy balloon, which flew over the airspace of more than 40 countries, was exposed to the world.
On a separate issue, the American official also warned his Chinese counterpart about the implications and consequences if Beijing supplied materials to Russia or assistance with systemic sanctions evasion as Moscow continues its invasion of Ukraine, as per Fox News.
Blinken also condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for its ICBM test, considered North Korea's latest destabilizing act. He also emphasized that there should be responsible powers that would respond to similar significant international challenges.
The Secretary of State also reaffirmed that there had been no change to the US' longstanding One China policy. Blinken underscored the importance of retaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait despite China's continued aggression in the region.
The American official reiterated President Joe Biden's statements that the US will continue to compete and will unapologetically stand up for its values and interests. However, he added that the American government was not looking for a conflict with the PRC and did not want another Cold War.
Chinese Spy Balloon
Despite the discussions, Price said that the two sides did not agree on how to increase dialogue between the two countries following the spy balloon incident. It comes as Blinken said he was disappointed about the lack of communication from Beijing, according to CNN.
Following the discovery of the surveillance balloon, diplomatic relations between China and the US quickly degenerated. Washington accused Beijing of overseeing what American officials called an extensive international surveillance program.
On the other hand, Chinese officials denied the allegations and, in turn, blamed the US, without providing evidence, for flying balloons in Chinese airspace. Furthermore, Beijing has claimed that the surveillance balloon shot down was a civilian research aircraft that accidentally blew off course.
Blinken's other warning to Chinese officials regarding supplying materials to Moscow was met with swift denial. The situation comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen as an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the two have continuously conducted military drills and signed economic agreements.
Furthermore, Xi has yet to condemn Moscow's invasion of Ukraine directly and instead has sought to remain neutral in the conflict while calling for peace between the two parties, said BBC.
Related Article: Did Biden Ask China Before Shooting Spy Balloon?
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