‘Absolutely Not True’: John Kirby Rejects China’s Counterclaims That U.S. Flew Spy Balloons Into Their Airspace

John Kirby emphatically rebuked the Chinese government’s allegation that the U.S. deployed surveillance devices above their country well before the spy balloon incident of the last two weeks.

The White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications joined Morning Joe on Monday to talk about the three unidentified high-altitude objects that were shot down by the U.S. over the weekend. This development comes after the traversal across the country by China’s spy balloon — which escalated tensions between the U.S. and China.

Jonathan Lemire brought up the news that Beijing now claims American spy balloons have flown over China more than 10 times in the past year without their government’s permission.

“It is also common for U.S. balloons to illegally enter the airspace of other countries,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin. He went on to denounce the U.S. as “the world’s largest surveillance habitual offender,” and that the U.S. should “first reflect on itself and change course, rather than smear and instigate a confrontation.”

Asked for his response, Kirby didn’t mince words.

“Not true. Not doing it,” he said. “Just absolutely not true…We are not flying balloons over China.”

Kirby’s denial was backed by his fellow NSC spokesperson, Adrienne Watson.

Watch above via MSNBC.

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