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| China accuses US of 'hyping-up' seizure of underwater drone | China accuses US of 'hyping-up' seizure of underwater drone |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| China has accused the US of "hyping-up" an incident in which its navy seized a US underwater drone in international waters in the South China Sea. | China has accused the US of "hyping-up" an incident in which its navy seized a US underwater drone in international waters in the South China Sea. |
| The Pentagon said the drone was being used to carry out scientific research and must be returned - and warned China that this must not happen again. | |
| US President-elect Donald Trump accused the Chinese of "stealing". | US President-elect Donald Trump accused the Chinese of "stealing". |
| The incident is among the most serious military confrontations between the two powers for decades. | The incident is among the most serious military confrontations between the two powers for decades. |
| On Saturday, China said talks to return the drone were being held. In a second statement later, the Chinese defence ministry criticised the US, saying it had overreacted to the incident. | On Saturday, China said talks to return the drone were being held. In a second statement later, the Chinese defence ministry criticised the US, saying it had overreacted to the incident. |
| That statement came hours after a tweet by the US president-elect, in which he accused the Chinese of "stealing". | That statement came hours after a tweet by the US president-elect, in which he accused the Chinese of "stealing". |
| Mr Trump had already inflamed the Chinese by speaking on the phone earlier this month with the leader of Taiwan, breaking a long-standing US practice on the China-Taiwan dispute. | Mr Trump had already inflamed the Chinese by speaking on the phone earlier this month with the leader of Taiwan, breaking a long-standing US practice on the China-Taiwan dispute. |
| Mr Trump drew criticism online for misspelling the word unprecedented - the latest in a series of errors in his Twitter posts. He has now corrected the entry. | Mr Trump drew criticism online for misspelling the word unprecedented - the latest in a series of errors in his Twitter posts. He has now corrected the entry. |
| Unauthorised seizure | Unauthorised seizure |
| A Chinese Navy ship pulled the unmanned drone from the water - just before the USNS Bowditch, and oceanographic research ship was about to retrieve it on Thursday. | A Chinese Navy ship pulled the unmanned drone from the water - just before the USNS Bowditch, and oceanographic research ship was about to retrieve it on Thursday. |
| Speaking to reporters shortly afterwards, Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis told reporters: "It is ours. It's clearly marked as ours. We would like it back, and we would like this not to happen again." | Speaking to reporters shortly afterwards, Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis told reporters: "It is ours. It's clearly marked as ours. We would like it back, and we would like this not to happen again." |
| Mr Davis said a formal diplomatic complaint had been issued over the seizure. | Mr Davis said a formal diplomatic complaint had been issued over the seizure. |
| The drone was seized 92km (57 miles) north-west of Subic Bay near the Philippines in the South China Sea. The US said the unmanned drone was being operated by civilian contractors to conduct oceanic research. | The drone was seized 92km (57 miles) north-west of Subic Bay near the Philippines in the South China Sea. The US said the unmanned drone was being operated by civilian contractors to conduct oceanic research. |
| China has claimed territorial rights over parts of the region but its claims are disputed. It is not clear if China claims the territory in which the drone was seized. | China has claimed territorial rights over parts of the region but its claims are disputed. It is not clear if China claims the territory in which the drone was seized. |
| 'A remarkably brazen violation' | 'A remarkably brazen violation' |
| Observers said the seizure of the drone was the most significant military incident between the two countries since a 2001 mid-air collision between a US Navy surveillance aircraft and a Chinese fighter jet that led to the death of a Chinese pilot. | Observers said the seizure of the drone was the most significant military incident between the two countries since a 2001 mid-air collision between a US Navy surveillance aircraft and a Chinese fighter jet that led to the death of a Chinese pilot. |
| The seizure will likely add to US concerns about the growing military build-up by China in the South China Sea. | The seizure will likely add to US concerns about the growing military build-up by China in the South China Sea. |
| A US think tank reported this week that aerial imagery shows that China has installed weaponry along seven artificial islands they have built at sea, despite US protests. | A US think tank reported this week that aerial imagery shows that China has installed weaponry along seven artificial islands they have built at sea, despite US protests. |
| In November 2015, two US B-52 bomber planes flew over the man-made islands, known as the Spratly Islands. | In November 2015, two US B-52 bomber planes flew over the man-made islands, known as the Spratly Islands. |
| Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations committee, called the seizure "a remarkably brazen violation of international law". | Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations committee, called the seizure "a remarkably brazen violation of international law". |
| Senior Republican Senator John McCain said the US should not tolerate "such outrageous conduct", adding that "this brazen provocation fits a pattern of increasingly destabilizing Chinese behaviour, including bullying its neighbours and militarising the South China Sea". | Senior Republican Senator John McCain said the US should not tolerate "such outrageous conduct", adding that "this brazen provocation fits a pattern of increasingly destabilizing Chinese behaviour, including bullying its neighbours and militarising the South China Sea". |
| More on the South China Sea dispute | More on the South China Sea dispute |
| Flying close to Beijing's new South China Sea islands | Flying close to Beijing's new South China Sea islands |
| What is the 'One China' policy? |