US officials address rising tensions between the US and China during the Munich Security Conference
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the State Department in Washington, DC, on February 3, 2023.
Saul loeb | AFP | beautiful pictures
US officials addressed rising tensions with China on Sunday after Secretary of State Antony Blinken met China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to discuss China’s high-altitude surveillance balloon Country and its stance on sending “lethal aid” to Russia.
U.S army shoot down Chinese high-altitude hot air balloon 4 and Blinken told Yi it was an “unacceptable violation of US sovereignty and international law,” a State Department spokesman said in a statement. on Saturday. Blinken also warned of “consequences and consequences”. if China provides material support to Russiaaccording to the statement.
Officials met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where leaders from around the world gathered to discuss geopolitical challenges.
Blinken said Sunday that there was “no doubt” the high-altitude balloon was attempting to engage in active surveillance.
“What is clear is that once the balloon flew over the United States and flew essentially west to east, it was trying to monitor very sensitive military sites. In some cases, it loitered or turned around. back to them when moving east,” he told NBC “Meet the Press.”
Blinken said he had a “very direct, very clear” conversation about the balloon with Yi, but he did not receive a direct apology. Blinken said he thinks other countries “appreciate” that the United States has “exposed” China’s hot air balloon program.
“More than 40 countries have flown these balloons over their territories,” he told ABC’s “This Week.” “There’s a real concern that I’m hearing here from other countries.”
Representatives Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Mike Turner, R-Ohio, were also present at the Munich Security Conference, and they said the Biden administration should be more open to the American public about China’s espionage plans. .
But despite the balloon, Turner said he thought there was an opportunity for the two nations to return to normal dialogue.
“Of course nobody wants a Cold War,” he told CNN Sunday’s “State of the Union.” “What we want is a China that won’t become an aggressor.”
China’s belligerence is also a concern in Russia’s war with Ukraine. Blinken said the US has information that China is considering send “deadly assistance” to Russia.
He told NBC that there are “various types” of lethal aid that China is considering providing, including weapons. Blinken said China has supported Russia in more diplomatic ways, but sending lethal aid would be a significant escalation.
“It was important for me to be very clear with Wang that this is going to be a serious problem,” Blinken told ABC.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., also appeared at the Munich Security Conference, and he told the ABC that if China were to provide lethal aid to Russia, the world needed to “deal with it hard.” China.
Graham said material assistance to Russia would be the “most catastrophic thing” that could happen to US-China relations.
“For the Chinese: If you jump on Putin’s train now, you’re dumber than the earth,” he said. “It would be like buying a ticket on the Titanic after you see the movie. Don’t do this.”
