US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calls off China visit due to ‘spy balloon’ floating over US airspace

A balloon flies in the sky over Billings, Montana on Wednesday in this picture obtained from social media. China has said it was a civilian airship. Photo: Chase Doak/via Reuters

Humeyra Pamuk

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a visit to China that had been expected to start yesterday after a Chinese spy balloon was tracked flying across the United States in what US officials called a “clear violation” of US sovereignty.

The Pentagon said on Thursday it was tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon over the continental United States.