Chinese officials refused US call because atmosphere was not ‘proper’

The US action had “seriously violated international norms and set a pernicious precedent”, ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei was quoted as saying in a statement issued late on Thursday

Fri, 10 Feb, 2023 - 07:59

AP Reporters

Chinese officials said they refused a call from US defence secretary Lloyd Austin following the shooting down of an alleged Chinese spy balloon because the US had “not created the proper atmosphere” for dialogue and exchange.

The US action had “seriously violated international norms and set a pernicious precedent”, ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei was quoted as saying in a statement issued late on Thursday.