The Financial Times reported that China refused to visit US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Beijing for fear that the FBI would release the results of its investigation into the China balloon incident.
According to the publication, Beijing informed Washington that it was not ready to set a new date for the visit, which Blinken canceled in February last year, before the US administration’s plans for the outcome of the investigation became clear.
The newspaper, citing informed sources, indicated that Chinese officials feared the White House would release FBI reports along with physical evidence during Blinken’s visit to China.
The newspaper added that Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Gang raised the issue during a meeting with the Americans at the China Development Forum held in Beijing last March.
Notably, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a joint press conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Filipino counterparts last Tuesday that he would visit Beijing when conditions were favorable, pointing to the U.S. administration’s desire to strengthen communication channels with China. .
Source: TASS