Beijing, 25 February 2023 (TDI): The Foreign Ministry of China blamed the United States (US) for violating international law principles and the Chicago Convention by falsely calling China’s civilian unmanned airship a “spy balloon” & using force against it.
Wang Wenbin, the Spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, shared this stance during a press briefing in response to a query regarding the incident.
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Wang stated that China has repeatedly informed the US that the entry of the Chinese civilian unmanned airship into US airspace was an unintended and isolated incident caused by force majeure.
Moreover, Wang has requested the US to report the progress of the investigation, but there has been no response from the US side. This has led to questions about the credibility and transparency of the investigation being conducted by the US.
However, the US has refused to acknowledge China’s explanation and has instead falsely claimed to be investigating the matter.
Wang further pointed out that the US stance regarding the incident was predetermined and heavily influenced by domestic politics aimed at containing and suppressing China.
He also raised doubts about the investigation report on the incident, given the possibility that US President Joe Biden may have ordered the use of force to shoot down the civilian airship as early as February 1.
Wang criticized the report’s conclusions, stating that they were merely repeating false and groundless accusations that the US has been making recently. He questioned the value of such a report, which only serves to slander and attack China.
In conclusion, the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the US to respect international law and principles and to conduct a fair and transparent investigation into the incident.
It has also called for the US to refrain from using domestic politics to influence its foreign policy decisions and to maintain a constructive relationship with China.
