After Chinese balloon enters US airspace, Biden secretary of state postpones trip to China

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his trip to China following the controversy over a Chinese surveillance balloon detected over the northern United States.

Senior State Department officials said Friday that Blinken's trip, which was never formally announced, has been indefinitely postponed and that the presence of a Chinese surveillance balloon in U.S. airspace is "a clear violation of our sovereignty, as well as international law." 

"It is unacceptable that this has occurred. After consultations with our interagency partners, as well as with Congress, we have concluded that the conditions are not right at this moment for Secretary Blinken to travel to China," a senior official said. 

The secretary of state has been communicating with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, regarding this incident and the U.S. government is maintaining open lines of communication with the People's Republic of China, officials said. 

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria in Jerusalem on Jan. 31, 2023. (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

Blinken was to travel to Beijing this weekend to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war with Chinese officials and meet with President Xi, White House National Security Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said earlier. 

Top Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee demanded that Blinken confront Xi over the spy balloon during his trip, calling it an "unacceptable" violation of U.S. airspace and American sovereignty. 

Other Republicans went further, with Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., saying, "Secretary Blinken should cancel his trip to China." 

"And President Biden must answer why he has not secured U.S. airspace," Cotton added.

CHINA CONFIRMS BALLOON IS THEIRS, AS SPOKESPERSON CLAIMS IT IS CIVILLIAN RESEARCH AIRSHIP

A balloon flies in the sky over Billings, Montana, U.S. February 1, 2023 in this picture obtained from social media. (Chase Doak/via Reuters)

The People's Republic of China confirmed Friday that the balloon detected over Montana is Chinese. 

China claimed that the airship is a civilian research craft that was blown far off course by prevailing winds.

"The airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday. "Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course."

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (Photo by Thomas Peter/ Reuters)

Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen Pat Ryder announced at a press conference Thursday afternoon that the U.S. government had detected a high-altitude surveillance balloon hovering over the continental U.S.

"The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now," Ryder said Thursday. "The U.S. government to include Norad, continues to track and monitor it closely. The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground. 

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He continued, "Instances of this kind of balloon activity have been observed previously over the past several years. Once the balloon was detected, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information."

Map shows approximate path of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon over Montana, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. (Fox News)

China said it "regrets" the incident. 

State Department officials acknowledged China's statement of regret but said they remain confident in their assessment of the situation. 

They said Blinken will travel to China "at the earliest opportunity when conditions once again allow." 

Fox News' Timothy Nerozzi and Kelly Laco contributed to this report.