Energy News
SUPERPOWERS
Blinken, China's top diplomat in 'direct, candid talks' amid balloon spat
Blinken, China's top diplomat in 'direct, candid talks' amid balloon spat
By Hui Min NEO and Leon BRUNEAU
Munich, Germany (AFP) Feb 18, 2023
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China not to repeat its "irresponsible act" of sending a spy balloon into American airspace, as he held rare talks late Saturday with China's top diplomat Wang Yi.

The highly anticipated meeting of the two senior officials came on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The US has been in a state of alarm since a huge white balloon from China was spotted over a series of secret nuclear weapons sites, before being shot down just off the east coast on February 4.

The incident led Blinken to abruptly call off a rare trip to China.

Beijing denies it uses spy balloons and says the craft was for weather research. Subsequently it accused Washington of sending its own espionage balloons over Chinese territory, which the US has denied.

During their encounter Saturday, Blinken "directly spoke to the unacceptable violation of US sovereignty and international law by (China's) high-altitude surveillance balloon in US territorial airspace, underscoring that this irresponsible act must never again occur", State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

"The Secretary made clear the United States will not stand for any violation of our sovereignty," he added.

He also warned Wang "about the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia or assistance with systemic sanctions evasion", Price said.

Blinken was "very direct and candid" during the talks, which lasted around an hour, according to a senior State Department official.

He was also "quite blunt" as they spoke about Russia, the official said.

In turn, Wang told Blinken that their countries' relations had been damaged by how Washington reacted to the balloon.

Wang "made clear China's solemn position on the so-called airship incident", and "urged the US side to change course, acknowledge and repair the damage that its excessive use of force caused to China-US relations," state news agency Xinhua reported.

Speaking earlier Saturday at the gathering of world leaders in Munich, Wang had condemned the US reaction to the balloon as "hysterical and absurd".

- 'Misguided' -

In uncharacteristically strong remarks against Washington, Wang said President Joe Biden's administration had a "misguided" perception of Beijing.

And he accused the United States of trying to "smear" the Asian giant while Washington itself was implementing policies that ran counter to its paradigms, such as free trade.

"There are many balloons from many countries in the sky. Do you want to down each and every one of them?" Wang said.

"We urge the United States not to do such preposterous things simply to divert attention from its own domestic problems."

Asked then if he was planning to meet with the US delegation, Wang had accused Washington of taking a wrong view of China as a serious geopolitical challenge and a threat to the United States.

"This is a misguided perception of China, and with this perception, the United States is using all of its means to smear and clamp down China, and is co-opting other countries to do the same," he said.

Wang accused the US instead of "100-percent protectionism, 100-percent self-servingness, 100-percent unilateral action" in its own economic policies, such as the Chips Act that earmarks billions of dollars for subsidies and research in the semiconductor sector.

He added that he hoped Washington would "take a pragmatic and proactive attitude" towards China and restore relations to a "track of sound development".

- 'Don't make same mistake' -

After four years of antagonistic relations with China under his predecessor Donald Trump, Biden has made a priority of resetting relations with Beijing, which he describes as Washington's biggest competitor.

But tensions flared last year after Nancy Pelosi, then leader of the US House of Representatives, visited Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island claimed by Beijing.

Hopes for a reset could be tested again soon, with a high-level Pentagon official arriving in Taiwan for a visit, according to a Financial Times report Friday.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also led Western powers to cast a wary eye on the relations between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping, who call each other "friends".

Also in Munich, US Vice President Kamala Harris underlined how Washington was "troubled that Beijing has deepened its relationship with Moscow since the war began".

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said "Beijing is watching closely to see the price Russia pays, or the reward it receives for its aggression."

"What is happening in Europe today could happen in East Asia tomorrow," he warned.

Stoltenberg also said Moscow's assault had exposed the dangers of Europe's over-reliance on authoritarian regimes. It should serve as a lesson as the continent pursued relations with Beijing, he argued.

"We should not make the same mistake with China and other authoritarian regimes."

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SUPERPOWERS
NATO chief says give Ukraine what they need to win': Warns on Russia, China ties
Munich, Germany (AFP) Feb 18, 2023
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is Saturday expected to tell a major security forum in Germany that allies must provide Ukraine what it needs to defeat Russia, as Kyiv pleads for more weapons. "We must give Ukraine what they need to win and prevail as a sovereign, independent nation in Europe," he will tell the Munich Security Conference, according to excerpts of his speech seen by AFP. His comments to world leaders will come ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia sending its troop ... read more

SUPERPOWERS
How a record-breaking copper catalyst converts CO2 into liquid fuels

Biogas produced with waste from apple juice making can minimize use of fossil fuels in industry

Biorefinery uses microbial fuel cell to upcycle resistant plant waste

Emirates announces 'milestone' sustainable fuel flight

SUPERPOWERS
Perovskites, a 'dirt cheap' alternative to silicon, just got a lot more efficient

Physicists solve durability issue in next-generation solar cells

Non-fused-ring donors and acceptors boost organic solar cell efficiency to over 14 pecent

Research reveals thermal instability of solar cells but offers a bright path forward

SUPERPOWERS
Machine learning could help kites and gliders to harvest wind energy

Polish MPs vote to make building wind turbines easier

New research shows porpoises not harmed by offshore windfarms

UH professor developing new technologies to improve safety, resiliency of offshore energy systems

SUPERPOWERS
All who can should pay even for their basic greenhouse gas emissions

S.Africa mining and energy giants thwarting climate goals: study

Energy industry must be part of climate fight, says COP president

France urges 'transparency' over US climate subsidies

SUPERPOWERS
High thermal conductivity of cubic silicon carbide finally demonstrated

The race to develop the battery of the future

Quantum geometry found to be newest twist in superconductivity

New compound that withstands extreme heat and electricity could lead to next-generation energy storage devices

SUPERPOWERS
Kenya's Ruto urges accountability for world polluters

Study finds watching TV is good for the planet

Donated clothing worsening Kenya's plastic pollution: report

Sinkholes sow fear in former Polish mining town

SUPERPOWERS
China's Xi to make state visit to Iran: foreign ministry

Energy firms not doing enough to cut methane: IEA

Facile and scalable production of a fuel-cell nanocatalyst for the hydrogen economy

UAE, Israel unveil joint naval vessel as military ties grow

SUPERPOWERS
Study quantifies global impact of electricity in dust storms on Mars

Complex subsurface of Mars imaged by Chinese rover Zhurong

Perseverance shows off collection of Mars samples

Cloud gazing while we get ready to drill: Sols 3739-3741

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.