'Obvious violation', China slams US military's decision to shoot down suspected spy balloon

US military on Saturday shot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast. Although China insisted that it was an accident involving a civilian aircraft. China accused the United States of "clearly overreacting and seriously violating international practice", threatening repercussions.

Although President Joe Biden wanted to take it down earlier, he was advised to carry the operation while the ballon was over water. Military officials determined that bringing it down over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet would pose an undue risk to people on the ground.

China responded that it reserved the right to 'take further actions' and criticized the US for “an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.”

In its statement Sunday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “China will resolutely uphold the relevant company’s legitimate rights and interests, and at the same time reserving the right to take further actions in response.”

Read: What is controversy over Chinese ‘spy’ balloon floating in US airspace? Why US didn’t shoot it down

The already-strained US-China relationship has become tenser due to the unwanted spy balloon floating over North America causing major controversy in the United States. 

As per AP reports, the balloon was spotted in Montana, home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile launch facilities at Malmstrom Air Force Base. Further, China has claimed that the balloon strayed its course and they regret entering the US airspace.