Republicans slam Kamala Harris' claim spy balloon won't impact Chinese relations

Republicans are criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for downplaying the impact a Chinese spy balloon recently felled by the US military has had on Washington's relationship with Beijing.

The suspected surveillance device was shot down by American fighter jets off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, after already traversing several US states at a low enough altitude to be seen by the naked eye - alarming millions across the country.

It comes at a time of historically strained diplomatic relations between the US and China.

Asked whether the balloon incident impacts that relationship, Harris told Politico: 'I don’t think so, no.

'Everything that has happened in the last week and a half is, we believe, very consistent with our stated approach,' Harris explained.

Vice President Kamala Harris (left, next to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy) downplayed the suspected Chinese spy balloon's effect on Washington and Beijing's relationship

In this U.S. Navy handout, sailors prepare material recovered in the Atlantic Ocean from a high-altitude balloon for transport to federal agents at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek

She said that approach was an aim for 'competition, but not conflict or confrontation.'

'What an incredibly incompetent thing to say,' Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) wrote on Twitter Wednesday in response to Harris' answer on the balloon.

'The CCP spies on Americans without fear of the repercussions, & [Harris] is acting like it's no big deal!?'

He accused the Biden administration of pursuing a policy of 'appeasement' with Beijing's increasingly authoritarian government, which he said was 'creating chaos.'

'Kamala Harris said the Chinese spy balloon that flew across our country and spied on Americans doesn’t impact our relations with China,' wrote Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

'It sounds like the Biden administration won’t be getting tough on Communist China.'

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) also expressed outrage at Harris' interview.

'This administration has no desire or strategy to deal with China. It’s appalling,' Crenshaw said Wednesday.

Florida GOP Senator Rick Scott called Harris' comments 'incompetent'

Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn said the administration 'won't be getting tough on China'

The balloon was first detected above American airspace on January 28, then briefly entered Canada's territory before eventually drifting back to the US.

President Joe Biden had given the order to shoot it down when it was above the continental United States, but was cautioned against seeing it through for fear of Americans getting injured by fallen debris. 

Republicans have accused the White House of not acting swiftly enough, but Pentagon officials have said they gained valuable intelligence about Beijing's vast surveillance program as the balloon traversed the country.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled his planned diplomatic trip to China amid the unfolding furor.

The Senate is scheduled to receive a classified briefing on the suspected spy balloon on Wednesday afternoon. 

On Tuesday, lawmakers were briefed on the shoot-down of four objects within eight days.

Beijing's device was the first incident, but little has since been discovered about the latter three objects. 

The White House announced on Friday that the US military had shot down an unknown object over Alaska. Then US jets were used in the NORAD takedown of another object over the Yukon wilderness on Saturday. 

Another unknown device that briefly shut down airspace over Montana on Saturday night was downed over Lake Huron in Michigan on Sunday.