Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has publicly criticized the U.S. for its handling of the Chinese spy balloon, which was shot down over the ocean near South Carolina two weeks ago. In response to questions at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Yi said the U.S. decision to shoot down the balloon and three other objects was “unbelievable” and “absurd and hysterical”, suggesting the effort was meant to divert attention from its domestic issues. Yi declined to comment on whether he would meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken—who delayed a visit to China earlier this month—though a U.S. official later told NPR they would meet before Blinken departed on Sunday.
The Chinese government has stated the balloon was a civilian craft used for scientific research and flew off course, though the U.S. has disputed this, alleging the balloon was for intelligence surveillance. China has threatened “countermeasures” in response to the incident and has called for the U.S. to return remnants of the balloon. In response, the U.S. has issued sanctions against six Chinese tech and aviation companies while passing a House resolution that formally condemned the Chinese government.
The U.S. military has since ended its search for objects shot down on Alaska and Lake Huron after it failed to find any debris. The debris of the Chinese spy balloon has since been transferred to the FBI for “counterintelligence exploitation”. The incident has since resulted in a fallout between the U.S. and China, with both countries taking symbolic measures in response.