China calls US House resolution ‘political manipulation’
Associated PressBEIJING — China on Friday dismissed a U.S. House of Representatives resolution condemning Beijing over a suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down above U.S. waters as “purely political manipulation and hyping up.” “China is strongly dissatisfied with this and firmly opposes it,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters at a daily briefing. Meanwhile, China’s Defense Ministry said it refused a call from U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following the downing of the balloon because the U.S. had “not created the proper atmosphere” for dialogue and exchange. A State Department official said the U.S. has confidence that the manufacturer of the balloon has “a direct relationship with China’s military and is an approved vendor” of the army. The Zhuzhou Rubber Research and Design Institute makes the rubber pouches that fill with helium, making balloons lighter than air, and works with the PLA, according to procurement notices, job The deleted description said it is one of only two weather balloon makers in China, and a “military rubber products research and production unit.” The company, a subsidiary of a state-owned enterprise, the China National Chemical Corp., did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.