NPC committee hits out at US Senate resolution

China's top legislature condemned a US Senate resolution denouncing an incident involving a civil unmanned airship and promoting "China threat" theory, strongly urging the US to stop slandering and smearing China to avoid further damage to the bilateral relationship.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress expressed the condemnation in a statement issued on Monday in response to the resolution recently passed by the United States Senate claiming China used a "surveillance balloon over US territory". The statement also criticized the US for spreading rumors about China and attacking its reputation.

It was an act to pressure China following a similar resolution passed by the US House of Representatives, the statement said.

It emphasized China has consistently adhered to international law, respected national sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding the incident was a completely unexpected and accidental event due to force majeure.

It said China repeatedly notified the US and shared information to the international community in a timely fashion, adding the US should have handled it properly in a calm, professional and restrained manner, but the US has disregarded China's repeated clarification of its firm stance, overreacted and violated the spirit of international law and international practices.

It also pointed out the US Congress deliberately incited confrontation, created tension and politicized event, noting "it is a typical act of hegemony and bullying."

"As for who is the world's largest surveilling and monitoring country, the US knows it well, and public opinion has its own judgment," it said. "We strongly urge the US Congress to respect the facts, the principles of international law and the basic norms of international relations, stop smearing and defaming China, and avoid further damage to China-US relations."