China accused the U.S. of exaggerating the dispute over a balloon the Biden administration says was conducting surveillance, signaling the nations remain at odds over an issue that’s rekindled tensions.
“The unintended entry into U.S. airspace of a civilian, unmanned Chinese airship, this is an isolated, unexpected incident,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Friday at a regular news briefing in Beijing.
Mao made the comments when asked about the State Department asserting that the aircraft was part of a military-led spy program spanning more than 40 countries. “The relevant action of the U.S. side is political manipulation and hype,” she said. “We are firmly opposed to that.”
