US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has postponed a trip to China after it was discovered that a Chinese spy balloon had flown over US territory.
Mr Blinken was expected to meet his Chinese counterpart and possibly President Xi Jinping.
The visit was supposed to take place against the background of tension between the two countries.
China said the balloon was being used for meteorological research and deviated from its route due to bad weather.
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it “regrets” the incident and will work with the US to resolve the issue.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, a senior State Department official said conditions were not conducive for Blinken to visit China, but another trip would be planned “as soon as possible.”
The official added that Washington plans to maintain “open lines of communication” regarding the incident, which is described as a “clear violation” of US sovereignty.
While the official said the US accepted China’s claim about the balloon’s purpose, it supported the Defense Department’s assessment that it was being used for surveillance.
Mr. Blinken’s visit was expected to take place on February 5 and 6.
A US official quoted by the Associated Press said the decision to abruptly end the trip was made by Mr Blinken and President Joe Biden.
