MUNICH — China’s high diplomat on Saturday renewed Beijing’s criticism of the US for capturing down what Washington says was a Chinese language spy balloon, arguing at a convention in Germany that the transfer does not level to U.S. power.

Beijing insists the white orb shot down off the Carolina coast early this month was simply an errant civilian airship used primarily for meteorological analysis that went off target as a result of winds and had solely restricted “self-steering” capabilities.

Wang Yi, the director of the Workplace of the Central Fee for Overseas Affairs, repeated that insistence in a speech to the Munich Safety Convention and accused the U.S. of violating worldwide authorized norms in destroying the item with a missile fired from an Air Power fighter jet.

“The actions don’t present that the U.S. is huge and powerful, however describe the precise reverse,” Wang stated.

Nearly all of Wang’s transient remarks and responses to questions amounted to a protection of China’s insurance policies towards self-governing Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province, and refusal to sentence Russia over its invasion of Ukraine — whereas nonetheless insisting that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations deserve “the very best respect.”

Wang additionally accused the U.S. of denying China’s financial advances and searching for to impede its additional growth.

“What we hope for from the U.S. is a realistic and constructive strategy to China that enables us to work collectively,” Wang stated.

His feedback got here shortly earlier than an tackle to the convention by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who did not point out the balloon controversy or reply to Wang’s feedback however burdened the significance of upholding the “worldwide rules-based order.”

She stated Washington is “troubled that Beijing has deepened its relationship with Moscow for the reason that warfare started” and stated that “wanting forward, any steps by China to offer deadly help to Russia would solely reward aggression, proceed the killing and additional undermine a rules-based order.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who spoke on the identical occasion a number of hours later, additionally did not tackle the balloon problem publicly.