China accuses US of flying over 10 balloons over its airspace

China has accused the United States of flying high-altitude balloons over its territory without permission more than 10 times in the past year, prompting a denial from the US government.

The allegation on Monday came days after the US shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that had crossed from Alaska to South Carolina, sparking a new crisis in relations between the world’s top two economies. Beijing has insisted it was a weather craft that had blown off course.

“It is also common for US balloons to illegally enter the airspace of other countries,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a news briefing.

“Since last year, US high-altitude balloons have illegally flown over China’s airspace more than 10 times without the approval of Chinese authorities,” Wang said without giving details about how they had been dealt with or whether they had government or military links.

The US should “first reflect on itself and change course, rather than smear and instigate a confrontation”, Wang said.

The White House swiftly denied China’s assertions.

“Not true. Not doing it. Just absolutely not true,” national security spokesman John Kirby said in an interview with MSNBC. “We are not flying balloons over China.”

After the downing of the alleged Chinese airship last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled a visit to Beijing that many had hoped would put the brakes on the sharp decline in relations over Taiwan, trade, human rights and Chinese claims in the disputed South China Sea.