US secretary of state postpones China visit after spy balloon flies over Montana

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has postponed a planned visit to China this weekend after the intrusion of a high-altitude Chinese balloon into US airspace.

China had apologised for the incident, claiming it had been a weather balloon which had been blown off course, but US officials made clear they did not believe that explanation and the Pentagon restated its assessment it was a surveillance aircraft, adding that by midday Friday it had changed course and was over the centre of the country.

Channels of communication remained open between the two countries, the official said, stressing that the trip had only been postponed and not cancelled.

There were reported sightings over Kansas City, and elsewhere in north-west Missouri. Ryder estimated it would remain over the US for a few more days.

Chinese state media had earlier used the incident to taunt the US.

While flying high over Montana, the balloon caused a temporary suspension of air traffic at the Billings airport. The Pentagon issued a statement to reassure the public, revealing it was not the first such incident.