US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call with China's chief diplomat Wang Yi reaffirmed Washington's commitment to diplomatic engagement and said he is willing to travel to China once conditions allow, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2023) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call with China's chief diplomat Wang Yi reaffirmed Washington's commitment to diplomatic engagement and said he is willing to travel to China once conditions allow, State Department spokesperson Ned price said on Friday.
"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Office Wang Yi to convey that he will not be traveling to the People's Republic of China at this time in light of the current presence of a high-altitude PRC surveillance balloon in U.S. airspace," Price said in a readout.
Earlier in the day, Blinken postponed his trip to China following the discovery of the Chinese balloon over the US, which the Pentagon alleges to have been a spy balloon engaged in surveillance, while Beijing claims it is a civilian airship engaged in scientific research.
"He (Blinken) underscored that the United States is committed to diplomatic engagement and maintaining open lines of communication, and that he would be prepared to visit Beijing as soon as conditions allow," Price said.
