After the Chinese balloon was shot down on February 4, China rejected the US’s request for talks.
According to foreign media reports, the US Department of Defense says that the phone call was requested for a conversation between Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart.
However, China rejected the US request for talks.
It should be noted that in the past few days, the Pentagon had confirmed that the American fighter jet shot down the Chinese spy balloon.
The Pentagon said the spy balloon was an unacceptable violation of US airspace by China, and the balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina.
However, on Friday, China admitted ownership of the balloon, saying it was a weather observation balloon that had strayed from its course. The unintended entry of the balloon into US airspace and the situation is regretted.
