US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Thursday highlighted the flight of a Chinese spy balloon over the United States as another sign of Beijing’s efforts to reshape the international order.

Speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Sherman also said the United States would continue to prevent China’s exploitation of US technology to enable its own military modernization.

“The PRC is the only competitor with the intent and means to reshape the international order,” Sherman told the hearing, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

“Last week the American people saw the latest example of that reality, after the US government detected, closely tracked, and shot down the PRC’s high altitude surveillance balloon that had entered our territorial airspace in clear violation of our sovereignty and international law.”