U.S. diplomatic communications with China remain open after the shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon this month, but contact between the countries' militaries "unfortunately" remains shut down, the White House said Friday.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also said it was not the "right time" for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to travel to China after he postponed a Feb. 5-6 trip over the balloon episode, but President Joe Biden wanted to speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping when it was "appropriate."
Kirby told a White House news briefing that U.S. and Chinese diplomats can still communicate despite tensions over the balloon incident.