U.S. and China Locked in Standoff After U.S. Air Force Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon

The U.S. and China have been in a stand-off since the U.S. Air Force shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon on Friday. China has accused U.S. lawmakers of “political manipulation and hype” over the incident, and said it declined a call from the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over the saga because Washington had not “created the proper atmosphere for dialogue.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has insisted that the high-altitude balloon was a civilian airship, and criticized a unanimous resolution by House lawmakers on Thursday condemning China’s use of the balloon. China’s Defense Ministry says it refused the call from Austin after the balloon was shot down because the U.S. had “not created the proper atmosphere” for dialogue and exchange.

The incident has raised tensions between the two countries. U.S. lawmakers have accused China of using the balloon for espionage, while China has accused the U.S. of violating international norms and setting a dangerous precedent.

The U.S. and China have yet to reach a resolution over the incident, and it is unclear how the two countries will proceed. It is likely that the U.S. and China will continue to discuss the incident in the coming days and weeks in order to reach a resolution.