On January 28, a giant Chinese surveillance balloon - the stuff of spy thrillers from another time - traversed the continental United States for a week before being shot down.

US-China relations subsequently took a hit, with top US diplomat Antony Blinken calling off a highly-anticipated trip to Beijing shortly after the incident.

But as the US Navy works to recover the balloon’s payload - what are the broader implications for the world’s biggest superpowers and the future of their diplomacy?

Today, explainer reporter for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, Sherryn Groch on what China’s spy balloon was looking for and what happens next.