Biden says the ‘silly balloon’ was responsible for deflating the US’s relationship with China – but predicted there would be a ‘thaw’ soon

President Joe Biden blamed the spy balloon incident on deflating relations with China, but predicted they would be better soon during his press conference Sunday night in Hiroshima

President Joe Biden blamed the spy balloon incident on deflating relations with China
At his press conference in Hiroshima, Biden said ‘this silly balloon’ got shot down and ‘everything changed in terms of talking to one another’
He added, ‘I think you’re going to see that begin to thaw really shortly’

President Joe Biden blamed the spy balloon incident on deflating relations with China, but predicted they would be better soon during his press conference Sunday night in Hiroshima.

The president agreed that the U.S. and China should have an ‘open hotline’ adding that was something he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on during their meeting last fall in Bali.

‘And then this silly balloon carrying two freight cars worth of spy equipment flew over the United States and it got shot down and everything changed in terms of talking to one another,’ Biden told reporters.

He added, ‘I think you’re going to see that begin to thaw really shortly.’

Biden also explained in simple terms the G7 countries’ view on China: ‘We’re not looking to decouple from China. We’re looking to de-risk and diversify our relationship with China,’ he said.