John Kirby on China Accusing U.S. of ‘Illegally’ Flying Balloons Across Its Airspace

LEMIRE: “Jonathan Lemire. I want to get your reaction to some breaking news out of Beijing. Just in the last hour or two the foreign ministry there has accused the United States since the start of 2022 of flying balloons 10 different times over Chinese air space, can you respond to that accusation?”
KIRBY: “Not true. Not doing it. Just absolutely not true.”
LEMIRE: “So the U.S. — let me just push a little further that — so, the U.S. is not using these balloons, technologies at all over China?”
KIRBY: “That is right. We are not flying balloons over China. That is absolutely true.”
LEMIRE: “OK. And then lastly, then just will there be — will that viewpoint be expressed directly to Beijing beyond here on the friendly confines of ‘Morning Joe?’ When — when do the next conversations start between Washington and Beijing over a matter that’s clearly inflaming tensions between the two countries?”
KIRBY: “Well, two points there, Jonathan. First of all, we still have diplomatic relations with China. We still have an embassy there. It’s not like all communications between us and the PRC have shut down. Obviously, there are certain vehicles, like military — the military vehicles, which are not open to us right now, and that’s unfortunate. But we do have the ability to communicate directly with Chinese leaders and we have in private settings about our concerns over that — that spy balloon. Not doing it.” [crosstalk]
BRZEZINSKI: “Just vintage Kirby, not true. No balloons. No balloons over China.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Well, the — the quote is — the quote is, we — we are not flying balloons over China.”
BRZEZINSKI: “OK.”
SCARBOROUGH: “And — and so the let’s move from balloons and China and unidentified objects flying over —“