China’s Defense Ministry released a statement on June 15th, 2020, in response to the US military chief’s call request following the balloon shootdown. The statement said that the US should take a responsible attitude towards the security of the South China Sea and refrain from actions that aggravate regional tensions. The statement also noted that the US military’s increased presence in the South China Sea has been escalating regional tensions and undermining the sovereignty of relevant countries. China urged the US to stop such provocative actions and make more efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.