U.S. officials manage to keep tensions between U.S. and China during the Munich Security interpretations

February 21, 2023: On Sunday, U.S. officials addressed issues with China after Secretary of State Antony Blinken encountered China’s chief diplomat, Wang Yi, talking about China’s high-altitude watch balloon and the nation’s stance on giving “killing aid” to Russia.

The U.S. military is decreasing a high-altitude Chinese balloon on February 4. Blinken stated to Yi that it was an “unacceptable violation of U.S. international law,” a State Department spokesperson stated. Blinken alerted the “implications and consequences” of China giving material support to Russia, according to the report.

The officials are discussing on the margins of the Munich Security Conference, where leaders worldwide gathered to discuss geopolitical challenges.

On Sunday, Blinken said that “there’s no doubt” the high-altitude balloon was able to attempt to engage in active surveillance.

“It is clear that once the balloon was over the United States and flew west to east, it attempted to surveil susceptible military sites. In some cases, it loitered or came back to them as it moved east,” he said.

Blinken said he had a “straightforward, obvious” conversation about the balloon with Yi but did not receive a direct apology. Blinken said that many countries “appreciate” the importance of the United States “exposing” China’s balloon program.

“Over 40 countries have had these balloons go over their territories,” he stated. “There’s a real concern I’m hearing from other countries.”

Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and R-Ohio are at the Munich Security Conference. They said the Biden administration should be more open about China’s espionage plans with the American public.

But despite the balloon, Turner stated that he thinks there is an opportunity for the dual nations to return to regular dialogue.

“No one wants a Cold War,” he stated on Sunday. “We want a China that will not be an aggressor state.”

Chinese aggression concerning Russia’s war against Ukraine. Blinken stated that the U.S. has information that advances China is considering, which sends “lethal support” to Russia.