China said its military seized a US Navy unmanned underwater glider in the South China Sea, but it would give the drone back.
However, US president-elect Donald Trump later said on Twitter that the Chinese government should be told “we don’t want the drone they stole back.”
That came after US officials had confirmed that they “secured an understanding” for the return of the device.
The Chinese navy on Thursday seized the drone, which the US Pentagon said was being operated by civilian contractors to conduct oceanic research.
The US lodged a formal diplomatic complaint and demanded the drone back.
Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesman Yang Yujun (楊宇軍) late on Saturday issued a statement saying that a Chinese navy lifeboat discovered an unknown device in the South China Sea on Thursday.
“In order to prevent this device from posing a danger to the safe navigation of passing ships and personnel, the Chinese lifeboat adopted a professional and responsible attitude in investigating and verifying the device,” Yang said.
The statement said that after confirming that the device was a US unmanned submerged device, “China decided to transfer it to the US through appropriate means.”
The US said that “through direct engagement with Chinese authorities, we have secured an understanding that the Chinese will return” the uncrewed underwater vehicle, said Peter Cook, a spokesman for US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.
However, Trump, after holding a rally to thank supporters for his election victory, took to Twitter to criticize the deal.
“We should tell China that we don’t want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!” the president-elect tweeted on Saturday evening.
He earlier in the day had blasted the seizure.
Misspelling “unprecedented,” he tweeted: “China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters — rips it out of water and takes it to China in unpresidented act.”
He later reissued the tweet, correcting the spelling.
The US said China’s “unlawful seizure” came in international waters.
However, China pointedly accused the US of long-sending ships “in China’s presence” to conduct “military surveying.”
“China is resolutely opposed to this and requests the US stop such activities,” it said. “China will continue to maintain vigilance against the relevant US activities and will take necessary measures to deal with them.”
The drone was seized while collecting unclassified scientific data about 92km northwest of Subic Bay near the Philippines in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said on Friday.
“It is ours. It’s clearly marked as ours. We would like it back, and we would like this not to happen again,” Davis told reporters.
He said the drone costs about US$150,000 and is largely commercial, off-the-shelf technology.
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
RSS