AFP: US President Joe Biden on Thursday said he made no apologies for taking down the balloon. How do you react to the fact that Joe Biden does not apologize for the shooting?

Wang Wenbin: The unintended entry of the Chinese civilian unmanned airship into US airspace is an entirely unexpected, isolated incident. It is, however, a test for the US side’s capability to properly manage crisis and sincerity about stabilizing relations with China. The US needs to stop stressing the importance of communication and dialogue while fueling tensions and escalating the crisis. It needs to work in the same direction with China to manage differences, properly handle this unexpected and isolated incident, avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation, and bring China-US relations back to the track of sound and steady development.

Shenzhen TV: On February 16, White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre told the press that by sanctioning US defense contractors, China is “deflecting”. “At the end of the day, their surveillance balloon was indeed in our airspace.” She added, “all of the American people, the entire world saw what China did, and it was irresponsible.” What’s your response? 

Wang Wenbin: Speaking of “deflecting”, can the US tell us why it is able to see the “balloon” 18,000 meters above the ground, but seems to have been blind to the toxic mushroom cloud of vinyl chloride over Ohio? Why was it vocal about investigations and accountability immediately after the Nord Stream blast, and yet unusually silent in the wake of the latest investigative report written by a US journalist?

The US also needs to explain: What exactly were the three high-altitude objects it shot down? If the US does not consider the appearance of these objects in US airspace to be irresponsible, why jab its fingers at China?

The US should not have overreacted and abused the use of force, still less use the incident for political manipulation or to smear and attack China.

NPR: President Biden of the US also said yesterday that the US needs to develop what he called “sharper rules” for dealing with and responding to future intrusions into American airspace by balloons and other unidentified flying objects. Is there space for a discussion with China about that on common rules and common understanding when it comes to these types of craft and intrusions?

Wang Wenbin: There are existing norms in international law related to civil aircraft that are being practiced worldwide. Despite international law and customary practice, the US overreacted and abused the use of force by downing China’s unmanned civilian airship. US balloons have illegally flown over China’s airspace multiple times without China’s approval. The US is in no position to talk about “establishing a common global norms”. It should earnestly abide by international law and customary international practice.

Bloomberg: China yesterday imposed fines and sanctions on two US defense companies Lockheed Martin and a unit of Raytheon Tech. On Wednesday, I believe it was, you warned that China would take countermeasures over how the US handled the balloon situation. So were these sanctions on these two companies the reaction to the balloon situation? 

Wang Wenbin: The spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Commerce has answered this question, which you may refer to.