Balloon should not derail ties, diplomat says

'Return to reason'

When the China-US relationship enters a difficult patch, "we must show the courage and wisdom to respect facts and return to reason", Xu wrote.

"Sensational and politically driven moves harm everyone. By handling this balloon incident properly, China and the US would prove to their people, and the world, that they can respect each other and act responsibly to manage differences and avoid confrontation."

Xu's article appeared a day after President Joe Biden made his first extended statement on Thursday about the spate of floating craft above North America.

Three objects shot down since the balloon was shot down on Feb 4 were probably research balloons, not spy craft, Biden said.

The balloon episode "underscores the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between our diplomats and our military professionals", Biden said.

He said that while diplomats will be engaging further, he will remain in communication with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Xu wrote that China stands for more dialogue between the two countries at all levels, which has been an important understanding Xi and Biden reached when they met in Bali three months ago.

"If we condense the past experiences of our bilateral relations, they point to this: China and the United States both gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation," Xu wrote.