China hits back after the US shoots down “spy balloon.”

China has threatened the United States with “further actions” following what China deemed to be a “serious overreaction” in the shooting down of a suspected spy balloon.

The white aircraft was shot out of the sky near Myrtle Beach by an F22 fighter jet on Saturday following days of debate about the best way to deal with the balloon.  The decision also appears to have put a dent in diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing.

President Joe Biden gave an order for the balloon to be shot down, with a defense official confirming it was a spy balloon that China planned to use to monitor sensitive military sites.

Biden said that he wanted to wait until the balloon was over water in case of falling debris.

“They successfully took it down and I want to compliment our aviators who did it,” Biden said on Saturday.

Chinese officials have denied this and said that the balloon was a meteorological and scientific research that been taken off course by the wind. 

Beijing’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Sunday saying “China will resolutely uphold the relevant company’s legitimate rights and interests, and at the same time reserving the right to take further actions in response.”

President Biden’s order was an “obvious overreaction” that “seriously violated international conventions”, it went on to say.