The recent spotting of a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon over the continental United States led to further strains in the already difficult bilateral relations between the U.S. and China, as Washington announced the cancellation of U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken’s visit to Beijing. Pentagon press secretary Brig Gen Patrick Ryder had stated that the balloon was travelling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and did not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground. However, the cancellation of Blinken’s visit shows the gravity of the situation.