Amid tensions, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Saturday and warned him not to repeat its "irresponsible act" of sending spy balloons into US airspace.
The top diplomats met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. This is the first high-level contact with the two countries after the spy balloon incident. Two weeks ago, US had shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon that has entered their airspace.
"The secretary made clear that the United States will not stand for any violation of our sovereignty," said State Department spokesman Ned Price underlining that Blinken had also warned China for its balloon incursion and called it an "irresponsible act" and warned that it "must never again occur".
"Just met with the PRC's top diplomat, Wang Yi. I condemned the incursion of the PRC surveillance balloon and stressed it must never happen again. I warned China against providing material support to Russia. I also emphasized the importance of keeping open lines of communication," Blinken tweeted.
Due to the spy balloon incident, Blinken had canceled his trip to Beijing widening the contention between the two countries.
Reportedly various issues including Chinese surveillance and the country's alliance with Moscow were discussed during the meeting.
Leaders from across the globe have gathered to discuss key geopolitical challenges including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's contentious engagement with the West at the conference.
Earlier Saturday, Wang, the director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, had renewed Beijing's criticism of the United States for shooting down what Washington says was a Chinese spy balloon, arguing that the move did not point to US strength, reported Associated Press (AP).
"The actions don't show that the US is big and strong, but describe the exact opposite," Wang said.
The top Chinese diplomat took a swipe at the US accusing it of violating international norms with "hysterical" behaviour by shooting down the balloon.
"To have dispatched an advanced fighter jet to shoot down a balloon with a missile, such behaviour is unbelievable, almost hysterical," said Wang, reported Reuters.
"There are so many balloons all over the world, and various countries have them. So, is the United States going to shoot all of them down?" he said.
China had reacted furiously to the US shooting down the balloon on Feb 4, saying it was for monitoring weather conditions. While Washington has said that it was clearly a surveillance balloon.
In an interview with NBC, Blinken had said that "I told him quite simply that was unacceptable and can never happen again," said Blinken. "There was no apology," he added.
