Illustrative image (Photo: Reuters)

At a regular press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the entry of a Chinese civilian unmanned airship into US airspace was a purely unintended, unexpected, and isolated event caused by force majeure.  He said the US has abused force, overreacted, escalated the situation, and used this as a pretext to illegally sanction Chinese companies and institutions.

China is firmly opposed to this and will take countermeasures against relevant US entities that undermine China's sovereignty and security in accordance with the law, Wang said.

The US and China are locked in a tussle over flying objects after the US military this month shot down what it called a Chinese spy balloon over the coast of South Carolina. China says its balloon was a civilian research vessel mistakenly blown off course, and that Washington overreacted.