The government in Beijing on Saturday refused a US offer for a phone call between Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and his counterpart Wei Fenghe, shortly after the US Air Force shot down a Chinese balloon, the US ministry said on Tuesday (February 7th). of the defense.
“
Our commitment to keep communication channels open will continue
,” however, promised General Pat Ryder, a spokesman for the Pentagon, after this rejection confirming the deterioration of relations between the two first world powers.