https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/06/china/china-response-suspected-spy-balloon-intl-hnk/index.html

China maintains the vessel, which was shot down by the US over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, was a weather balloon thrown off course. And it has shown signs of both being caught off guard by the incident and wanting to stem the potential damage, analysts say, not only framing the situation as the result of factors beyond its control, but also offering a rare expression of “regret” over it in a statement Friday.

While some crucial facts of the situation remain unclear, Beijing’s official response – and the timing of the incident, which resulted in the US’ postponement of the Blinken visit – suggest its leadership is now grappling with how to handle a diplomatic crisis that has inflamed the very tensions it had been hoping to mend.

中国坚持认为，这艘周六在大西洋上空被美国击落，是一个偏离航线的气象气球。 分析人士说，有迹象表明，它既被这一事件措手不及，又希望阻止潜在的破坏，不仅将局势归咎于它无法控制的因素，而且星期五发表的一份声明也罕见地表达了对此的”遗憾”。

尽管某些关键事实仍不清楚，但北京的官方反应——以及导致美国推迟布林肯访问的事件发生的时间——表明其领导层正在努力处理一场外交危机，这场危机激化了它原本希望修复的紧张局势。