China says it reserves right to respond to downing of surveillance balloon
The balloon's flight over the U.S. added tension to the U.S.-China relationship.
A massive Chinese surveillance balloon that moved across the continental U.S. this week has been shot down.
The Pentagon has confirmed the balloon was being used for surveillance, disputing China's claim that it was a civilian aircraft used for meteorological purposes. Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the balloon didn't pose a physical or military threat, and once it was detected, the U.S. took steps to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information.
The FBI is expected to take custody of any recovered components of the balloon and ship them to its lab in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis and intelligence gathering, a senior government official told ABC News.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a planned trip to China as the balloon's presence over the continental U.S. added new tension to the U.S.-China relationship. Blinken called the balloon a "clear violation" of U.S. sovereignty and international law.
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While Blinken trip postponed, sources say China’s statements going over well
While Secretary of State Blinken's planned trip to China has been postponed, according to a U.S. official, sources at the State Department say China's public statements are going over well and that they're pleased with what they perceive as a conciliatory tone.
China's foreign affairs ministry called the balloon a civilian airship used "mainly meteorological purposes." The ministry said the balloon's course deviated from its original path and it "regrets the unintended entry of the airship into US airspace."
-ABC News' Shannon Crawford
Balloon is at an altitude of 60,000 feet: US official
A U.S. official said Friday the balloon was at an altitude of 60,000 feet, which is why officials have said it’s not a threat to civilian aviation that maxes out at lower altitudes.
The official also said the balloon does appear to have some maneuverability, meaning it's not just drifting through the sky.
--ABC News' Luis Martinez
Biden doesn’t take any questions about balloon as he talks economy
President Biden declined to take any questions about what U.S. officials call a Chinese surveillance balloon as he discussed the latest jobs report on Friday morning.
"If you want to ask me a question about the economy, but I'm not going to answer any questions about anything else because you never will cover this," Biden said.
Reporters shouted several questions about the balloon as Biden exited the South Court Auditorium but he didn't stop to answer them.
Pentagon to hold press briefing at noon
Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder will conduct an on-camera press briefing at noon on Friday as the Biden administration faces questions about what U.S. officials call a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the U.S.
Ryder said in a statement Thursday that the government was tracking the balloon and that it didn't present a military threat.
"Instances of this kind of balloon activity have been observed previously over the past several years. Once the balloon was detected, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information," Ryder said.
Blinken calls Chinese balloon an 'irresponsible act' on eve of his planned trip
Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the surveillance balloon an "irresponsible act" by the People's Republic of China.
Blinken said he made clear to Wang Yi, the director of China's Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, that the balloon's presence is "a clear violation of U.S. sovereignty and international law ... and that the PRC's decision to take this action on the eve of my planned visit is detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have."
Blinken postponed his first official trip to China amid the controversy.
The secretary of state said his team had been engaging "for some time" with their counterparts in Beijing to prepare but have now "concluded that conditions were not conducive for a constructive visit at this time."
The remarks were made Friday during a joint press availability with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin at the State Department.