Spy balloon: China rejects US request for talks

February 08, 2023 09:44

China has rejected Washington's request for a telephone call between US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Beijing counterpart Wei Fenghe, The New York Times reported citing Pentagon.

The request was made on Saturday soon after a US fighter aircraft shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina.

The Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Patrick S Ryder in an emailed statement said that Washington believes in the importance of maintaining communication between the US and China.

He said that China has "declined" US' request to arrange call between Lloyd Austin and Wei Fenghe. "We believe in the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and the P.R.C. in order to responsibly manage the relationship," The New York Times quoted General Patrick Ryder as saying in an emailed statement, referring to the People's Republic of China. "Lines between our militaries are particularly important in moments like this," he added.

As per the news report, General Ryder said, "Unfortunately, the P.R.C. has declined our request" to arrange a call with Wei Fenghe. He stated that the Pentagon will keep trying, according to The New York Times report.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a trip to Beijing that was due to take place last weekend after the balloon was spotted in the American skies. The Chinese balloon was first spotted over Montana, then it traversed the country before it was shot down by US fighter aircraft.

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