BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th February, 2023) The US reaction to the Chinese balloon incident has damaged the process of stabilizing China-US relations, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng said.
"The actions of the United States have had a serious impact and harmed the efforts of both sides in the process of stabilizing China-US relations after the meeting (of the leaders of the two countries) in Bali," Xie Feng said on Monday, as quoted by China Central Television.
The minister stressed that China expresses strong protest to the United States and is advising Washington not to take further steps that would harm China's interests and increase tensions.
Beijing reserves the right to take further necessary actions, Xie Feng said.
On Thursday, the Pentagon announced the detection of an alleged surveillance balloon from China over the US state of Montana. Beijing stressed that the balloon was a civilian airship engaged in scientific research, mainly meteorological studies, and expressed regret over its unintended entry into US airspace.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that a US fighter aircraft successfully brought down the balloon in US territorial waters off the coast of South Carolina.
