US Shooting Down Balloon ‘Seriously Impacted And Damaged’ Relations, China Says

New Delhi: China on Monday accused the United States of indiscriminate use of force after a suspected Chinese spy balloon was shot down by the American military last week. On Saturday, the United States military shot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon that was flying in its skies for the last several days even as China insisted it as an accident involving a civilian aircraft.

Vice-foreign minister Xie Feng informed about filing a formal complaint with the US Embassy on Sunday over the “US attack on a Chinese civilian unmanned airship by military force,” according to the news agency AP report.

ALSO READ: 14 Hindu Temples Vandalized In Northwestern Bangladesh As Miscreants Destroy Idols (abplive.com)

Xie reiterated the same stance as cited by the Chinese that the balloon was a Chinese civil unmanned airship that blew into the US by mistake, calling it “an accidental incident caused by force majeure.”

China would “resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, resolutely safeguard China’s interests and dignity and reserve the right to make further necessary responses,” he added, as per the report.

The incident of the suspected spy balloon worsened the strained US-Chinese relations that have been impacted over several issues in the past. It also forced Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a high-stakes Beijing trip that was aimed at easing the tension between the two nations.

US President Joe Biden ordered to shoot down the balloon after he was advised that the best time for the operation would be when it was over water, according to the US officials. Military officials determined that bringing down the balloon over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet (18,000 meters) would pose an undue risk to people on the ground.

“What the US has done has seriously impacted and damaged both sides’ efforts and progress in stabilizing Sino-US relations since the Bali meeting,” Xie said in reference to the recent Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping meeting in Indonesia that was seen as a hope in improving ties that have touched their lowest level in years.