After the U.S. destroyed the suspected spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, China declined Washington's request for a secure call between Sec. of Defense Lloyd Austin and his counterpart, the Pentagon says.
Larry Mayer / The Billings Gazette via APThe Chinese government didn't want to hear it.
"Lines between our militaries are particularly important in moments like this," he said."Unfortunately, the PRC has declined our request. Our commitment to open lines of communication will continue.”The U.S. used an F-22 Raptor to shoot down the balloon with a Sidewinder missile early Saturday afternoon. Tensions didn't chill after the balloon splashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
“The Chinese side had clearly requested the U.S. side to handle the situation properly in a calm, professional and restrained manner,” the ministry's statement said, calling the administration's decision an “obvious over reaction and a serious violation of international customary practice." The balloon entered U.S. airspace on Jan. 28 north of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska before it entered Canada a few days later. It re-entered the U.S. the next day in northern Idaho before it slowly made its way across the U.S., coming close to multiple American nuclear sites.
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