Beijing. February 5. INTERFAX - Beijing protested to Washington over the fact that the United States shot down a Chinese balloon over its territory, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
"China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and protest to the United States against the use of force by the United States to attack a civilian unmanned balloon," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website.
It notes that the Chinese side has repeatedly informed the American side that the balloon is a civilian object and came to the United States due to force majeure.
At the same time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry recalls, the Pentagon recognized that the balloon did not pose a military or other threat.
Nevertheless, "the American side insisted on the use of force, clearly overstepping the stick and seriously violating international practice," the report says.
"China will resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of the relevant enterprises, while maintaining the right to take further necessary retaliatory measures," the Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed.
As reported, the US military shot down a Chinese balloon, which was previously detected over the territory of the United States. In a few days, the balloon flew across the entire territory of the United States from northwest to southeast, including over the state of Montana, where the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile silo launchers are located.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said yesterday that the balloon seen over the United States is a civilian aircraft used for scientific purposes, mainly meteorological, which went off course and got into American airspace. In China, they asked for forgiveness for the "unintentional entry of a vessel into US airspace."
