US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a trip to China after a Chinese spy balloon was discovered flying across the US.
Mr. Blinken was expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart, and potentially with President Xi Jinping.
The visit would have come amid fraying tensions between the two countries.
China has said the balloon is used for meteorological research and deviated from its route due to bad weather.
A statement from China's Foreign Ministry said it regrets the incident and will work with the US to resolve the issue.
Speaking to reporters Friday, a senior state department official said the conditions were not right for Mr. Blinken to visit China, but that another trip would be planned at the earliest opportunity.
