Amid simmering tensions between Washington and Beijing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. After the White House ordered the military to shoot down a Chinese balloon which floated over the continental United States, there was a major breakdown in diplomacy. Previously, US officials suggested Blinken would take advantage of the opportunity to help de-escalate the situation and reach some quasi-détente. Instead Blinken confronted Wang over the balloon incident and warned China against providing weapons to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine.

"This was an opportunity to speak very clearly and very directly about the fact that China sent a surveillance balloon over our territory, violating our sovereignty, violating international law. And I told him quite simply that that was unacceptable and can never happen again," Blinken told NBC’s "Meet The Press." Without providing further details on the meeting, Blinken said "I can tell you, no, there was no apology."

Blinken says he emphasized Washington’s "deep concern" over information he claims the US has that shows China is considering providing "lethal assistance" to Moscow as well. "We’ve been watching this very, very closely. And, for the most part, China has been engaged in providing rhetorical, political, diplomatic support to Russia, but we have information that gives us concern that they are considering providing lethal support to Russia in the war against Ukraine."

In less than a year, the US has funded Kiev with well over $100 billion in mostly military aid. Last week, top Russian diplomats issued dire warnings that both Washington and its NATO allies have crossed all of Moscow’s "red lines" and war with the US is close.