Blimping of balloon into threat on US highlights significance of crisis control

The United States military's downing of a Chinese meteorological balloon off the South Carolina coast was a remarkable example of how an otherwise insignificant incident can be blown up to be a dangerously damaging one between two countries in the absence of mutual trust.

It is regrettable that what the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed was a wayward Chinese meteorological balloon has been transformed into "a spying tool" in the eyes of the US media and Defense Department. Especially, as the incident is believed to have resulted in Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponing a scheduled visit to Beijing, which carried high hopes for patching up frayed bilateral ties.

Following years of unpleasant exchanges, China-US relations have become so fragile that crisis control is now a constant priority on the agendas of both countries' diplomatic and security establishments.