While the Chinese balloon that recently drifted over the U.S. has caused a diplomatic stir between the two countries, reactions were more mixed among the Chinese public, with feelings ranging from humor and indifference to incredulity.
The discovery of the balloon last week led to the postponement of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing, creating a rift in efforts to normalize ties between the two countries.
Although Beijing had initially expressed some regret over the “unintended entry” of what officials claimed was a weather balloon, their tone took a harsh turn when the U.S. decided to shoot it down, with Washington expressing concerns that it was a part of China’s wider worldwide surveillance program.