China has threatened "further actions" in response to America's "serious overreaction" in the downing of a suspected spy balloon,
Sky News reports.
The white aircraft was shot out of the sky off the South Carolina coast on Saturday after days of intrigue, while diplomatic relations soured further between Washington and Beijing.
US President Joe Biden ordered the object be brought down, with a defence official saying it was a spy balloon that China intended to use on sensitive military sites.
But Chinese officials insisted it was a meteorological and scientific research device that had been blown off course.
In a statement on Sunday, Beijing's foreign ministry said: "China will resolutely uphold the relevant company's legitimate rights and interests, and at the same time reserving the right to take further actions in response."
Mr Biden's order was an "obvious overreaction" that "seriously violated international conventions", it added.
The balloon was shot down by an F-22 fighter aircraft, about six nautical miles off the coast of South Carolina, near Myrtle Beach, with ships deployed in the water to mount the recovery operation.
