Page 8 - ATODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 19 deceMber 2016

China says it will give drone back, but Trump says ‘keep it’

CHRISTOPHER BODEEN China, and appeared to
Associated Press be a violation of interna-
BEIJING (AP) — China says tional law.
its military seized a U.S. China delineates its South
Navy unmanned underwa- China Sea claims with a
ter glider in the South Chi- roughly drawn sea border
na Sea, but that it will give known as the “nine-dash
it back. President-elect line” that runs along the
Donald Trump, however, west coast of the Philip-
says the Chinese govern- pines. However, it hasn’t
ment should be told “we explicitly said whether it
don’t want the drone they considers those waters as
stole back” and “let them sovereign territory, and
keep it!” says it doesn’t disrupt the
This comes after U.S. offi- passage of other nations’
cials confirmed that they shipping through the area.
“secured an understand- The U.S. doesn’t take a posi-
ing” for the return of the tion on sovereignty claims,
device. but insists on freedom of
Trump’s tweet Saturday navigation, including the
evening may extend one right of its naval vessels to
of the most serious inci- conduct training and other
dents between the Ameri- operations in the sea.
can and the Chinese mili- Davis said that the incident
taries in years. could be the first time in
The Chinese navy on Thurs- recent history that China
day seized the drone, has taken a U.S. naval ves-
which the Pentagon said sel. Some observers have
was being operated by called it the most signifi-
civilian contractors to con- cant dispute between the
duct oceanic research. sides’ militaries since the
The U.S. lodged a formal April 2001 midair collision
diplomatic complaint and In this undated photo released by the U.S. Navy Visual News Service, the USNS Bowditch, a T-AGS between a U.S. Navy sur-
60 Class Oceanographic Survey Ship, sails in open water.
demanded the drone Associated Press veillance aircraft and a
back. Chinese fighter jet about
Chinese Defense Ministry 110 kilometers (70 miles)
spokesman Yang Yujun is- rally to thank supporters for U.S. activities and will take this not to happen again,” from China’s Hainan island
sued a statement late Sat- his election, took to Twitter necessary measures to Davis told reporters. He that led to the death of a
urday saying that a Chi- to criticize the deal. “We deal with them.” said the drone costs about Chinese pilot.
nese navy lifeboat discov- should tell China that we Earlier Saturday, China’s $150,000 and is largely The drone seizure seemed
ered an unknown device don’t want the drone they Foreign Ministry said the commercial, off-the-shelf likely to fray the already
in the South China Sea on stole back.- let them keep nation’s military was in technology. tense relations between
Thursday. it!” the president-elect contact with its American The USNS Bowditch, which U.S. and China. Beijing was
“In order to prevent this de- tweeted Saturday evening. counterparts on “appro- is not a combat ship, was angered by Trump’s deci-
vice from posing a danger Earlier in the day, he had priately handling” the inci- stopped in international sion to talk by phone with
to the safe navigation of blasted the seizure. dent, though it offered no waters Thursday afternoon Taiwanese President Tsai
passing ships and person- Misspelling “unprecedent- details on what discussions and recovering two of the Ing-wen on Dec. 2, and by
nel, the Chinese lifeboat ed,” he tweeted: “China were underway. gliders when the Chinese his later comments that he
adopted a professional steals United States Navy Sen. John McCain, an Ari- ship approached, Davis did not feel “bound by a
and responsible attitude in research drone in interna- zona Republican who is said. one-China policy” regard-
investigating and verifying tional waters - rips it out of chairman of the Senate The two vessels were with- ing the status of Taiwan,
the device,” Yang said. water and takes it to China Armed Services Commit- in some 450 meters (500 unless the U.S. could gain
The statement said that in unpresidented act.” He tee, said Sunday on CNN’s yards) of each other. He trade or other benefits from
after confirming that the later reissued the tweet, “State of the Union” that said the USNS Bowditch China. China considers the
device was an American correcting the spelling. the seizure of the drone carries some small arms, self-governing island its
unmanned submerged The U.S. said China’s “un- was a “gross violation of in- but that no shots were fired. own territory to be recov-
device, “China decided to lawful seizure” came in ternational law.” According to the Penta- ered by force if it deems
transfer it to the U.S. through international waters. Yet The drone was seized while gon, as the Chinese ship necessary.
appropriate means.” China pointedly accused collecting unclassified sci- left with the drone, which There also have been in-
The U.S. said that “through the U.S. of long sending entific data about 92 kilo- is about 3 meters (10 feet) creased tensions over
direct engagement with ships “in China’s presence” meters (57 miles) northwest long, its only radio response Beijing’s ongoing military
Chinese authorities, we to conduct “military survey- of Subic Bay near the Phil- to the U.S. vessel was, “We buildup in the South China
have secured an under- ing.” ippines in the South China are returning to normal op- Sea, mainly the develop-
standing that the Chinese “China is resolutely op- Sea, which China claims erations.” ment and militarization
will return” the unmanned posed to this and requests virtually in its entirety, Navy Bonnie Glaser, senior advis- of man-made shoals and
underwater vehicle, ac- the U.S. stop such activi- Capt. Jeff Davis, a Penta- er for Asia at the Center for islands aimed at extend-
cording to a statement ties,” Yang, the Defense gon spokesman, said Fri- Strategic and International ing China’s reach in the
from Peter Cook, spokes- Ministry spokesman, said in day. Studies, said the seizure of strategically vital area,
man for U.S. Defense Sec- the statement. “China will “It is ours. It’s clearly marked the glider occurred inside through which about $5 tril-
retary Ash Carter. continue to maintain vigi- as ours. We would like it the exclusive economic lion in global trade passes
But Trump, after holding a lance against the relevant back, and we would like zone of the Philippines, not annually.q