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| Donald Trump accuses China of 'stealing' US Navy drone in international waters | Donald Trump accuses China of 'stealing' US Navy drone in international waters |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Donald Trump has accused China of "stealing" a US Navy drone, after it was seized in international waters of the South China Sea. | Donald Trump has accused China of "stealing" a US Navy drone, after it was seized in international waters of the South China Sea. |
| The President-elect tweeted: "China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters - rips it out of water and takes it to China in unpresidented [sic] act." | The President-elect tweeted: "China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters - rips it out of water and takes it to China in unpresidented [sic] act." |
| The drone's seizure, which followed Mr Trump's call with the president of Taiwan, was described as one of the most serious diplomatic incidents between the two nations in recent memory. | |
| The message risked a re-escalation in the tensions between the two countries, which officials had been working to repair since the incident -- which has been interpreted as a warning signal to Mr Trump because of his warmth towards Taiwan. | |
| In taking a congratulatory call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Mr Trump broke with long-standing international norms. As part of its foundational 'One China' policy, Beijing regards the island as part of its sovereign territory. | |
| “If you are going to upend this understanding," President Obama said of the One China policy the day before the tweet was sent, "you have to have thought through what are the consequences." | |
| The President warned Mr Trump against slipping into "full conflict mode" with the country. | |
| Mr Obama continued: “Because the Chinese will not treat that [Taiwan] the way they will treat some other issues. They won’t even treat it the way they treat issues around the South China Sea, where we have had a lot of tensions. This goes to the core of how they see themselves and their reaction on this issue could end up being very significant.” | |
| Some observers on social media also mocked the President-elect's misspelling of 'unprecedented'. | |
| The militaries of the two countries are reportedly in talks to discuss the return of the drone, the removal of which caused deep anger in the Pentagon. | The militaries of the two countries are reportedly in talks to discuss the return of the drone, the removal of which caused deep anger in the Pentagon. |
| China's foreign ministry said in a statement: "According to [our] understanding, the US and Chinese sides are working on appropriately handling this matter through channels between the two militaries." | |
| A newspaper published by China's ruling Communist Party also cited a military officer as saying that a "smooth resolution" of the matter is expected. | |
| According to the US, the drone was carrying out scientific research underwater and was controlled by civilian contractors. | According to the US, the drone was carrying out scientific research underwater and was controlled by civilian contractors. |
| US officials had issued a formal diplomatic complaint to China demanding the drone's return. | US officials had issued a formal diplomatic complaint to China demanding the drone's return. |
| "It is ours. It's clearly marked as ours. We would like it back, and we would like this not to happen again," Pentagon spokesman Captain 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," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. |
| The drone costs about $150,000 (£120,000) and is largely commercial, off-the-shelf technology, Capt Davis added. | The drone costs about $150,000 (£120,000) and is largely commercial, off-the-shelf technology, Capt Davis added. |
| The USNS Bowditch, which is not a combat ship, was stopped in international waters on Thursday afternoon while attempting to recover two of its gliders when the Chinese ship approached, Capt Davis said. The two vessels were within about 450 meters of each other. | The USNS Bowditch, which is not a combat ship, was stopped in international waters on Thursday afternoon while attempting to recover two of its gliders when the Chinese ship approached, Capt Davis said. The two vessels were within about 450 meters of each other. |
| The Chinese ship then took the drone away. | The Chinese ship then took the drone away. |
| According to the Pentagon, as the Chinese ship left with the drone, which is about three meters long, its only radio response to the U.S. vessel was, "We are returning to normal operations." | According to the Pentagon, as the Chinese ship left with the drone, which is about three meters long, its only radio response to the U.S. vessel was, "We are returning to normal operations." |
| Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the seizure of the glider occurred inside the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, not China, and appeared to be a violation of international law. | Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the seizure of the glider occurred inside the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, not China, and appeared to be a violation of international law. |
| China delineates its South China Sea claims with a roughly drawn sea border known as the "nine-dash line" that runs along the west coast of the Philippines. However, it hasn't explicitly said whether it considers those waters as sovereign territory, and says it doesn't disrupt the passage of other nations' shipping through the area. The U.S. doesn't take a position on sovereignty claims, but insists on freedom of navigation, including the right of its naval vessels to conduct training and other operations in the sea. | China delineates its South China Sea claims with a roughly drawn sea border known as the "nine-dash line" that runs along the west coast of the Philippines. However, it hasn't explicitly said whether it considers those waters as sovereign territory, and says it doesn't disrupt the passage of other nations' shipping through the area. The U.S. doesn't take a position on sovereignty claims, but insists on freedom of navigation, including the right of its naval vessels to conduct training and other operations in the sea. |
| Additional reporting by AP | Additional reporting by AP |