State Department Spokesperson To Brief Press On China "Spy Balloon" Incident

US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price is shortly due to provide the first department press briefing since a suspected Chinese spy balloon forced the cancellation of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's key diplomatic trip to China.

• Livestream: https://www.state.gov/todays-briefing-schedule/
• The State Department indefinitely postponed Secretary Blinken's China trip shortly before the US military took steps to shoot down the balloon.
• Price may provide an update on the likelihood of rescheduling the trip in the near future. Although China has maintained its position that the balloon was civilian rather than military Beijing has struck a relatively conciliatory tone leading to cautious optimism that political fallout from the incident can be managed.
• Price will also provide an update on the aid and support being delivered to Turkey in response to last night's destructive series of earthquakes.