The suspected Chinese spy balloon incident has heightened tensions between the United States and China. The balloon, which is believed to be a high-altitude surveillance device, has been tracked flying across the US and is considered by Washington to be a violation of US sovereignty. The military reportedly considered shooting down the balloon, but the plan was eventually scrapped due to the risk of falling debris.
China has expressed regret that a "civilian airship" was in US airspace and has played down the cancellation of Secretary of State Blinken's trip to the country. The postponing of the visit was seen as a blow to efforts to stabilize the relationship between the two nations, which has become increasingly fraught.
The discovery of the suspected spy balloon is just the latest development in a series of challenges facing the US-China relationship. In recent years, the two countries have been at odds over issues such as trade, human rights, and technology. Despite these challenges, both nations have expressed a desire to maintain stable relations, with China hoping to focus on its economy and the United States seeking cooperation on global issues such as climate change and North Korea.