Secretary of State Cancels Planned China Trip Due to Spy Balloon

Joe Biden has been slammed over his weak response to the apparent Chinese spy balloon that’s been floating over the Northern United States.

In spite of the news, Biden’s Secretary of State was still apparently planning a trip to China over the weekend to meet with President Xi.

Something must have changed since then however, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken has indefinitely postponed his planned trip.

The alleged spy balloon has been headline news for days now, with President Donald Trump even chiming in on what should be done about it.

The Biden Administration has been accused of making America look weak with their response.

BREAKING NEWS: After Chinese balloon enters US airspace, Biden secretary of state postpones trip to Chinahttps://t.co/o7cWMEbSlt

— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 3, 2023

According to Fox News, Blinken’s planned trip has been postponed:

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has indefinitely postponed his trip to China following the controversy over a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon detected over the northern United States.

Officials said Friday that Blinken’s trip, which was never officially announced, has been indefinitely postponed.

Blinken was to travel to Beijing this weekend to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war with Chinese officials and meet with President Xi, White House National Security Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said.

JUST IN: Blinken postpones China trip following balloon discovery https://t.co/Hs6VjRsL58 pic.twitter.com/jPfadeA9AG

— The Hill (@thehill) February 3, 2023

BLOOMBERG: Biden admin. has decided to postpone Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s upcoming trip to Beijing after detecting a Chinese surveillance balloon that was lingering at high altitude over sensitive nuclear sites in Montana.https://t.co/vVdKI3tmFi

— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) February 3, 2023

BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of state Blinken is postponing his visit to China after the balloon was tracked soaring across the country- ABC news pic.twitter.com/af1bKV5yEt

— Faytuks News Δ (@Faytuks) February 3, 2023

BREAKING: Secretary of State Antony Blinken will postpone his high-stakes weekend trip to China. This follows the discovery of a high-altitude Chinese balloon flying over sensitive sites in the western U.S. https://t.co/AlSlo1gfc8

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 3, 2023

The Associated Press has more:

The decision came just hours before Blinken had been due to depart Washington for Beijing and marked a new blow to already strained U.S.-Chinese relations. The official said Blinken and President Joe Biden determined it was best not to proceed with the trip at this time.

Blinken’s long-anticipated meetings with senior Chinese officials had been seen in both countries as a way to find some areas of common ground amid major disagreements over Taiwan, human rights, China’s claims in the South China Sea, North Korea, Russia’s war in Ukraine, trade policy and climate change.

Although the trip, which was agreed to in November by President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit in Indonesia, had not been formally announced, officials in both Beijing and Washington had been talking in recent days about Blinken’s imminent arrival.

The meetings were to begin on Sunday and go through Monday.

After word of the spy balloon made the news, Biden and his administration faced severe criticism for their reaction:

China embarrasses Biden’s administration with their spy balloon spotted flying over US. Earlier this week former CIA director and former States secretary of state @mikepompeo warned China is the US greatest national security threat. China says it was a weather device! pic.twitter.com/FJUKNeQJrX

— RKOT (@RKOTOfficial) February 3, 2023

Many urged Biden to cancel Blinken’s planned trip following the incident.

Perhaps he finally felt the pressure…

#China’s use of this surveillance balloon is a clear violation of U.S. sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Biden Administration needs to remove it from U.S. airspace as soon as possible, and Secretary Blinken should not go to #Beijing next week.

— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) February 3, 2023

Shoot down the balloon. Cancel Blinken’s trip. Hold China accountable.

Biden is letting China walk all over us. It’s time to make America strong again.

— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 3, 2023

Biden Admin refuses to protect our borders or skies. They're allowing China to push kid-killing fentanyl across southern border and fly spy balloons into our airspace. Meanwhile, SecState Blinken still heading to Beijing….to be humiliated in person.

— KT McFarland (@realKTMcFarland) February 3, 2023

Just heard on NPR that the balloon passed over sensitive military sites. Should have been immediately blown up.

Our missile defenses are nearby.

Biden is clearly unable to do his basic duties under the Constitution.

When Blinken goes there, China will ignore the wet dish towel https://t.co/O8Z3v61k9r

— Jeff Clark (@JeffClarkUS) February 3, 2023