Joe Biden said in an interview with PBS that he is “not looking for a conflict” with China after the United States destroyed a Chinese balloon that flew over its territory, AFP reports.

“No,” the US president told a reporter who asked him if relations with Beijing had taken a “hit”.

“We will fully compete with China, but we do not seek conflict,” he said.

Washington has generally been careful not to raise its voice after it shot down a Chinese balloon on Saturday that Americans believe was intended to spy on classified military bases.

On Tuesday before Congress, Joe Biden assured: “If China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country.”

As a result of this case, the relations between the two superpowers became strained.

China strongly condemned the destruction of the balloon, which it said was a “civilian aircraft used for research purposes, mainly meteorological” that “involuntarily” entered US airspace.

In this context, the head of American diplomacy, Anthony Blinken, canceled the planned visit to China at the last minute.

The Pentagon also said on Tuesday that Beijing had rejected a US offer for a phone call between Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and his counterpart Wei Fenge on Saturday.

• PHOTOS The first images of the remains of the downed US reconnaissance balloon. “Airship”, taller than the Statue of Liberty