USA: Our military lines of communication with China are closed
According to the Coordinator of Strategic Communications Coordinator of the National Security Council at the White House John Kirby, lines of communication between US and Chinese militaries have been shut down. Kirby reported on the talks between the United States and China following the downing of the suspected intelligence balloon to reporters in Washington local time on Friday. Speaking about US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's planned trip to Beijing, which was canceled after the Chinese balloon was shot down, Kirby said now is "not the right time" for Blinken to visit China.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had emphasized that he would keep the channels of communication open with Beijing and that he would make up for his initially canceled visit to China as soon as circumstances permitted. The launch of a Chinese intelligence balloon over US airspace by the country's military has strained defense cooperation between Beijing and Washington, and US Defense Department spokesman Patrick Ryder said the Chinese defense minister even refused to accept phone calls from his US - to receive counterpart Austin.
He added, "We believe in keeping the lines of communication between America and China open for responsible stewardship of the relationship." Communication channels between our armies are of particular importance in such times. Shortly after the balloon flew over the South Carolina coast and reached open sea, it was shot down by a US warplane missile. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed on Saturday last week that US fighter jets, on orders from US President Joe Biden, had crashed "the surveillance balloon belonging to the People's Republic of China" off the Atlantic coast of South Carolina.
