Obviously, Chinese Officials’ ‘Regret’ about the Spy Balloon Is Insincere

Earlier today, the Chinese foreign ministry said it “regrets that the airship strayed into the United States by mistake,” a claim that incredulous officials have rejected. As Brittany Bernstein reported for NR, Pentagon spokesman General Pat Ryder dismissed the Chinese government’s claims that the balloon was a mere civilian meteorological device. And during a press conference with the South Korean foreign minister today, Antony Blinken also expressed his disbelief in Beijing’s excuses.

In short, no one in Washington believes China’s explanation. But government and party entities in China are also taking the chance to go on the offensive, rather than sticking with the disingenuously apologetic tone that the foreign ministry has struck.

The Global Times blamed the U.S. in an article this morning for sending “utterly chaotic signals” and “drumming up the threat from China.” The article runs through a series of Beijing’s most recent grievances about U.S. policy moves on Huawei, basing in the Philippines, and Taiwan. “Analysts” consulted by the Chinese Communist Party publication “urged the U.S. to be more sincere in fixing relations with China instead of making provocative actions against it.”

Also this morning, the Chinese foreign ministry released a report slamming America’s use of “long-arm jurisdiction,” or sanctions, to promote U.S. foreign-policy aims. This report does not seem to have been linked explicitly to U.S. complaints about the spy balloon.

And the ministry promoted some of its typical complaints on social media earlier today:

Obviously, no one buys the half-hearted regrets that the foreign ministry expressed today, nor its explanation of the balloon. But it’s particularly noteworthy that even the Chinese government’s insincere apologies are accompanied by typical Wolf Warrior grievances.