Key Biden Adviser on China Leaves White House Amid Balloon Scandal - Reports

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th February, 2023) President Joe Biden's key adviser on China, Laura Rosenberger, is leaving the White House amid growing tensions between Beijing and Washington over the shooting down of a Chinese balloon, Bloomberg said on Wednesday.

Rosenberger, who currently serves as the National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director for China and Taiwan, is leaving office in March, the report said, citing White House officials.

Rosenberger's exit was planned well before the situation with the balloon and other aerial objects escalated and is not related to it, the report also said.

Sarah Beran from the State Department will replace Rosenberger, and Rush Doshi, who currently works at the NSC will serve as Beran's deputy, the report added.

Last week, the US military shot down four unidentified aircraft in its airspace, including what it claimed to be a Chinese surveillance balloon, despite Beijing's insistence that it was a civilian aircraft carrying out scientific research.

On Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said US high-altitude balloons had violated Chinese airspace at least ten times since last year - a statement US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson rejected as false.