US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Postpones High-Stakes Trip to China Following Suspected Chinese Surveillance Balloon Incident

The United States and China are in a diplomatic stand-off after the US government discovered a suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon flying over the continental United States. In response, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a planned high-stakes weekend diplomatic trip to China.

The Chinese foreign ministry has claimed that the balloon was a “civilian airship” used mainly for weather research that deviated from its planned course. However, the US government has not accepted this explanation and is now weighing a broader response.

In response to the incident, Blinken and President Joe Biden have determined that it is best not to proceed with the trip at this time. The US official said the decision was made just hours before Blinken had been due to depart Washington for Beijing.

The incident is the latest in a series of diplomatic stand-offs between the two countries. Relations between the US and China have been strained in recent years, with the two countries clashing over trade, human rights, and other issues. It remains to be seen how the US will respond to the incident and what impact it will have on future US-China relations.