New Delhi: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday (February 18, 2023) amid strained ties over a suspected Chinese spy balloon and warned that this “irresponsible act should never happen again”. Blinken also told Wang that Beijing’s material support of Russia over the Ukrainian war would attract sanctions. The two top diplomats met at an undisclosed location on the sidelines of a global security conference in Munich.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said, “The secretary spoke directly to the unacceptable violation of US sovereignty and international law by the PRC high-altitude surveillance balloon in US territorial airspace, underscoring that this irresponsible act should never happen again.” Should be.”
“During the meeting, Blinken made clear that the United States will not stand by any infringement of our sovereignty, and that the Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon program – which has intruded into the airspace of more than 40 countries across five continents – has come before the world,” he said.
“On Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, the secretary warned about the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia or helps it evade systemic sanctions,” Price said.
Just met Wang Yi, the top diplomat of the PRC. I condemned the intrusion of the PRC surveillance balloon and stressed that this should never happen again. I warned China against providing material assistance to Russia. I also stressed the importance of keeping open lines of communication. — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 18, 2023
A US State Department spokesman said that during the meeting, Blinken affirmed that there was no change in the US’ long-standing ‘one China’ policy and underlined the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Did.
“The secretary reiterated President (Joe) Biden’s statements that the United States will compete and stand up for our values and interests without regret, but we do not seek conflict with the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and seek a new Not looking for.” Cold War,” Price said.
It is noteworthy that Russia and China signed a “no borders” partnership shortly before it invaded Ukraine last February, and their economic ties have grown as Moscow’s ties with the West have weakened.
Relations between the two superpowers – the US and China have deteriorated since Washington says China flew a spy balloon over continental US Earlier, it was shot down by American fighter jets on the orders of President Joe Biden.
China reacted angrily when the US military shot down the 60-meter balloon on February 4, saying it was meant to monitor weather conditions and had blown up along the way. However, Washington said it was clearly a surveillance balloon with a massive undercarriage holding electronics.
The balloon’s flight over American territory caused an uproar in Washington and prompted Blinken to postpone a planned trip to Beijing. The February 5-6 visit would be the first by a US Secretary of State to China in five years and was seen by both sides as an opportunity to stabilize the fast-growing relationship.
(with agency inputs)