BEIJING- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Saturday made remarks on the U.S. announcement to postpone Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China.
According to reports, senior U.S. State Department officials said on Friday that due to the entry of a Chinese unmanned airship into U.S. airspace, Blinken has decided to postpone his planned trip to China.
Regarding the unintended entry of the unmanned airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure, the Chinese side has verified it and communicated it to the U.S. side, said the spokesperson in a statement.
The spokesperson said that it is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes. Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course.
“This is entirely an unexpected situation caused by force majeure and the facts are very clear,” said the spokesperson.
China always acts in strict accordance with international law and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, said the spokesperson, adding that China has no intention to violate and has never violated the territory or airspace of any sovereign country.
“Some politicians and media in the United States have hyped it up to attack and smear China. The Chinese side is firmly opposed to that,” the spokesperson said.
Maintaining contact and communication at all levels is an important common understanding reached by the Chinese and U.S. presidents at their meeting in Bali, said the spokesperson, adding that one of the tasks of the diplomatic teams on both sides is to properly manage bilateral relations, particularly to manage some unexpected situations in a cool-headed and prudent manner.
“In fact, neither side has ever announced that there would be a visit. It is a matter for the United States to make its latest announcement, and we respect that,” said the spokesperson.(Xinhua)
