China reacts to 'spy balloon' allegation by USA, says 'verifying' reports

China on 3 February 2023 reacted to allegations by America that a giant Chinese spy balloon was flying in US airspace.

The Xi Jinping government said that China has no intention to violate the territory of other nations as it is a "responsible country" and abides by international laws.

Beijing is verifying the situation, a government spokesperson said. The official said that "speculation and sensationalising" without a clear understanding of facts is "unhelpful".

The US government on 2 February said that it had detected a spy balloon the size of "three buses", and steps were being taken to protect sensitive information.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning also said she had no information about whether a planned trip to China by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would proceed next week as scheduled. Blinken had been due to arrive in China on 10 February, becoming the highest-ranking US official to visit since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

If the visit occurs, Blinken would arrive amid a sharp downturn in relations between Beijing and Washington over trade, Taiwan, human rights and China's territorial claims in the South China Sea.

(With agency inputs)