US authorities previously recorded the entry of Chinese balloons into its airspace, but such incidents in the past are not comparable with the recent situation.
This was stated at a regular briefing coordinator for strategic communications in the National Security Council (SNB) of the White House John Kirby.
He confirmed the information that appeared earlier in the media that Chinese balloons were at least three times recorded over the territory of the United States before the coming to power of the current administration.
“We became aware of at least three cases when the intelligence balloons of the PRC flew in the airspace of the United States. Judging by our evidence, for a short time, it did not seem at all that we observed last week “, – he said.
Kirby is also sure that the situation with a shot down Chinese balloon does not improve the relationship of Washington and Beijing, so the parties will return to discuss the visit of the American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to China at the right moment.
“It is obvious that this incident did not help this process (establishing relations between the United States and China – Ed.),” He said.
Speaking about the possible visit of Blinken to Beijing, Kirby noted that “he was postponed and not canceled,” and that the issue of the Secretary of State to China will be resolved “at the right time.”
The White House said that the United States did not plan to return to China the wreckage of a downed balloon, since Washington intends to study them to understand the capabilities of the PRC aircraft.
“There are no such intentions or plans to return,” he said.
According to Kirby, the United States intends to study the fragments of a balloon, since “this is an amazing opportunity to better understand its capabilities.”