Story highlights China seized drone last week in international waters off Philippines

The Pentagon says the US will continue investigating the incident

(CNN) The Chinese government has returned the US underwater drone it seized last week in the South China Sea, according to Chinese and US officials.

"After friendly consultations between China and the United States, the transfer of the US underwater drone was smoothly completed," a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Defense said.

The Pentagon said the United States would continue to investigate the "unlawful" seizure, which took place in international waters about 50 miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines.

"The US remains committed to upholding the accepted principles and norms of international law and freedom of navigation and overflight and will continue to fly, sail, and operate in the South China Sea wherever international law allows, in the same way that we operate everywhere else around the world," the Pentagon said in a statement.

China has built up military bases in the South China Sea, which is home to a tense territorial dispute.

Read More</s>The Chinese government has returned the US unmanned underwater drone it seized last week in the South China Sea, according to Chinese and US officials.

"After friendly consultations between China and the United States, the transfer of the US underwater drone was smoothly completed," a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Defense said.

The Pentagon said the United States would continue to investigate the events surrounding the incident.

Developing story - more to come</s>BEIJING (AP) — China on Tuesday handed back to the United States an underwater drone whose seizure raised tensions in a relationship that has been tested by President-elect Donald Trump’s signals of a tougher policy toward Beijing.

Last week’s seizure near the Philippines prompted a new volley of criticism by Trump, who has riled the Chinese leadership by saying he might reconsider policy toward Taiwan, the self-ruled island the mainland claims as its territory.

The Chinese navy vessel that seized the drone returned it near where it had been taken, and it was received by the USS Mustin about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement. Cook said Washington considered the seizure illegal.

“This incident was inconsistent with both international law and standards of professionalism for conduct between navies at sea,” he said, adding that the U.S. has called on China to refrain from “further efforts to impede lawful U.S. activities.”

The statement said the U.S. would continue to “fly, sail, and operate in the South China Sea wherever international law allows.” Such freedom of navigation missions in which U.S. ships sail near China’s artificial islands draw warnings and rebukes from Beijing.

China’s defense ministry said in a statement that it handed the drone back after “friendly consultations.”

Chinese officials say the drone was removed from the water to ensure the safety of passing ships, but domestic political experts have read the move as a warning to Trump not to test Beijing’s resolve over Taiwan.

Early this month, Trump broke protocol by speaking with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. He later said he did not feel “bound by a one-China policy” unless the U.S. could gain trade or other benefits from China. Beijing regards any acknowledgement that Taiwan has its own head of state as a grave insult.

“China wants to send a message to the U.S. side about how serious the consequences can be if sensitive issues in China-U.S. relations are handled unilaterally and indiscreetly,” said Xiong Zhiyong, an international relations expert at the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. “The return of the seized drone shows that China hopes the U.S. will not provoke China on these issues and engage in solving issues through consultation.”

The incident underscores how Trump will confront as president an increasingly assertive China that wants to extend its reach in the South China Sea, a strategically vital area through which about $5 trillion in global trade passes each year. Several of China’s smaller neighbors have protested China’s territorial claims there and are closely watching Trump’s handling of the disputed sea.

The seizure of the drone fits into China’s broader strategy aimed at shaping the perception that it is in control of the South China Sea and will not back down, said Michael Raska, a military analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

“They use the South China Sea as political, economic and informational means to project power and to influence domestic and external perception that the South China Sea is basically Chinese,” Raska said. “This puts the U.S. and China into contending trajectories, but neither side has the strategic interest to escalate beyond these low-level incidents.”

The U.S. said the drone was being operated by civilian contractors collecting unclassified scientific data in international waters. A noncombat ship was recovering two drones last Thursday when a Chinese ship approached, launched a small boat and picked up one of them, officials say.

Trump, still a month away from being inaugurated, accused Chinese authorities on Saturday of stealing the drone, and said on Twitter, “We should tell China that we don’t want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!”

Trump has pledged to be more unpredictable on the world stage, billing the approach as a much-needed change from President Barack Obama’s deliberative style and public forecasting about U.S. policy.

That is likely to unnerve both allies and adversaries, leaving glaring questions about whether the foreign policy novice is carrying out planned strategies or acting on impulse.

Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and news researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this report.</s>China has returned the Navy unmanned underwater vehicle it seized last week in the South China Sea in an incident the U.S. is calling illegal and unprofessional.

The Yokosuka-based destroyer USS Mustin received the underwater drone in the same area, about 50 miles northwest of the Philippines’ Subic Bay, where a Chinese ship “unlawfully seized” it on Dec. 15, according to a Pentagon statement Tuesday.

The USNS Bowditch, a Military Sealift Command vessel, had been recovering two underwater gliders used to collect ocean data when a Chinese navy salvage ship pulled within 500 yards, launched a small boat and seized one of them in international waters, the Pentagon said.

“This incident was inconsistent with both international law and standards of professionalism for conduct between navies at sea,” the statement said.

Chinese state-run media reports have criticized the U.S. for conducting “close-in surveillance” within the South China Sea, which Beijing claims most of as its own. The Chinese Communist Party newspaper The People’s Daily said the drone was found in “Chinese jurisdictional waters.”

The drone was seized and the handover completed within the Philippines exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, the Defense Department said.

“The seized UUV is a sovereign immune vessel of the U.S. Navy which was conducting routine operations in the international waters of the South China Sea in full compliance with international law,” the Pentagon said Tuesday.

EEZs comprise about a third of the world’s oceans and are open to navigation. Most countries consider them open to surveillance activities under international maritime law, though a few countries, such as China, have raised objections.

However, Chinese vessels operate their own underwater drones, and their intelligence ships have routinely been reported within U.S. EEZs off Guam, Hawaii and Alaska, according to previous Navy reports.

The U.S. is continuing to investigate the incident and will discuss the findings with China, said the statement, which also called on the Chinese to “refrain from further efforts to impede lawful U.S. activities.”

China’s claims to hundreds of rocks, reefs and small islands within the South China Sea have stoked tensions in recent years with its neighbors, several of whom hold competing claims. China has dumped more than 3,000 acres of landfill on its claimed reefs, topping them with weapons, radar and military-capable runways, according to Pentagon reports and satellite imagery.</s>China has returned a US underwater drone taken by one of its naval vessels in the disputed South China Sea last week after what it said were friendly talks with the United States. However, the US reiterated its criticism of the “unlawful” seizure.

The taking of the unmanned underwater vehicle in international waters near the Philippines triggered a diplomatic protest and speculation about whether it would strengthen US president-elect Donald Trump’s hand as he seeks a tougher line with China.

A Chinese naval ship took the drone, which the Pentagon says uses unclassified, commercially available technology to collect oceanographic data, on Thursday about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines.

China’s defence ministry said in a brief statement that the drone had been given back to the United States on Tuesday.

“After friendly consultations between the Chinese and US sides, the handover work for the US underwater drone was smoothly completed in relevant waters in the South China Sea at midday,” the ministry said.

The defence ministry declined to give more details about the handover.

The Pentagon said the vehicle had been handed over to the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin near where it had been “unlawfully seized”. It called on China to comply with international law and refrain from further efforts to impede lawful US activities.

“The US remains committed to upholding the accepted principles and norms of international law and freedom of navigation and overflight and will continue to fly, sail and operate in the South China Sea wherever international law allows,” Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying referred questions about the handover and other details of the case to the defence ministry.

“The handling of this incident shows that the Chinese and US militaries have quite smooth communication channels. We think that this communication channel is beneficial to timely communication and the handling of sudden incidents and prevention of miscalculations and misunderstandings,” she said.

“As to what the US defence department said, I have to verify it with the military. But I think what they said is unreasonable as we have always said that for a long time the US military has regularly sent ships and aircraft to carry out close-up surveillance and military surveys in waters facing China, which threatens China’s sovereignty and security.

“China is resolutely opposed to this and has always demanded the US end these kinds of activities. I think this is the cause of this or similar incidents.”

The seizure has added to US concern about China’s growing military presence and aggressive posture in the disputed South China Sea, including its militarisation of maritime outposts.

China is deeply suspicious of any US military activity in the resource-rich South China Sea, with state media and experts saying the use of the drone was likely part of US surveillance efforts in the disputed waterway.</s>The United States expects China to return an underwater drone "relatively soon" after a Chinese naval vessel seized it in the South China Sea last week, triggering U.S. protests, two U.S. defense officials told Reuters on Monday.

One scenario saw a U.S. Navy destroyer receiving the drone from China at an agreed upon location in the South China Sea, one of the officials said. Both officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said talks with China were progressing.

The Pentagon says the unmanned, underwater vehicle (UUV) used unclassified, commercially available technology to collect scientific data about things like the salinity, temperature and clarity of the water.</s>China's seizure of the unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) triggered a diplomatic protest and speculation about whether it will strengthen U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's hand as he seeks a tougher line with Beijing.

A Chinese naval ship took the drone, which the Pentagon says uses unclassified, commercially available technology to collect oceanographic data, on Thursday about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines.

In a brief statement, China's Defence Ministry said the drone had been given back to the United States.

"After friendly consultations between the Chinese and U.S. sides, the handover work for the U.S. underwater drone was smoothly completed in relevant waters in the South China Sea at midday on Dec. 20," the ministry said in a short statement.

The defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for more details about the handover

The seizure has added to U.S. concerns about China's growing military presence and aggressive posture in the disputed South China Sea, including its militarization of maritime outposts.

The U.S. Navy has about 130 such underwater drones, made by Teledyne Webb, each weighing about 60 kg (130 pounds) and able to stay underwater for up to five months. They are used to collect unclassified data about oceans, including temperature and depth. They are used around the world, but it is unclear how many are used in the South China Sea.

China is deeply suspicious of any U.S. military activities in the resource-rich South China Sea, with state media and experts saying the use of the drone was likely part of U.S. surveillance efforts in the disputed waterway.</s>China has returned a U.S. underwater drone taken by one of its naval vessels in the disputed South China Sea last week after what it said were friendly talks with the United States, which reiterated its criticism of the “unlawful” seizure.

The taking of the unmanned underwater vehicle in international waters near the Philippines triggered a diplomatic protest and speculation about whether it would strengthen U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s hand as he seeks a tougher line with China.

Read also: Is China prepared for a thaw in U.S.-Russia relations?

Read more: China says it seized U.S. drone to ensure safety of ships

A Chinese naval ship took the drone, which the Pentagon says uses unclassified, commercially available technology to collect oceanographic data, on Thursday about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines.

China’s defense ministry said in a brief statement the drone had been given back to the United States on Tuesday.

“After friendly consultations between the Chinese and U.S. sides, the handover work for the U.S. underwater drone was smoothly completed in relevant waters in the South China Sea at midday,” the ministry said.

The defense ministry declined to give more details about the handover when contacted by Reuters.

The Pentagon said the vehicle had been handed over to the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin near where it had been “unlawfully seized”. It called on China to comply with international law and refrain from further efforts to impede lawful U.S. activities.

“The U.S. remains committed to upholding the accepted principles and norms of international law and freedom of navigation and overflight and will continue to fly, sail, and operate in the South China Sea wherever international law allows,” Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying referred questions about the handover and other details of the case to the defense ministry.

“The handling of this incident shows that the Chinese and U.S. militaries have quite smooth communication channels. We think that this communication channel is beneficial to timely communication and the handling of sudden incidents and prevention of miscalculations and misunderstandings,” she said.

“As to what the U.S. defense department said, I have to verify it with the military. But I think what they said is unreasonable as we have always said that for a long time the U.S. military has regularly sent ships and aircraft to carry out close up surveillance and military surveys in waters facing China, which threatens China’s sovereignty and security,” Hua told reporters.

“China is resolutely opposed to this and has always demanded the U.S. end these kinds of activities. I think this is the cause of this or similar incidents.”

The seizure has added to U.S. concern about China’s growing military presence and aggressive posture in the disputed South China Sea, including its militarization of maritime outposts.

China is deeply suspicious of any U.S. military activity in the resource-rich South China Sea, with state media and experts saying the use of the drone was likely part of U.S. surveillance efforts in the disputed waterway.

The U.S. Navy has about 130 such underwater drones, made by Teledyne Webb, each weighing about 60 kg (130 lb) and able to stay underwater for up to five months. They are used around the world to collect unclassified data about oceans, including temperature and depth.

It is not clear how many are used in the South China Sea.</s>China has returned a U.S. underwater drone taken by one of its naval vessels in the disputed South China Sea last week after what it said were friendly talks with the United States, which reiterated its criticism of the “unlawful” seizure.

The taking of the unmanned underwater vehicle in international waters near the Philippines triggered a diplomatic protest and speculation about whether it would strengthen U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s hand as he seeks a tougher line with China.

A Chinese naval ship took the drone, which the Pentagon says uses unclassified, commercially available technology to collect oceanographic data, on Thursday about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines.

China’s defence ministry said in a brief statement the drone had been given back to the United States on Tuesday. “After friendly consultations between the Chinese and U.S. sides, the handover work for the U.S. underwater drone was smoothly completed in relevant waters in the South China Sea at midday,” the ministry said.

The Pentagon said the vehicle had been handed over to the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin near where it had been”unlawfully seized”.

It also called on China to comply with international law and refrain from further efforts to impede lawful U.S. activities. — Reuters</s>(CNN) A US underwater drone seized by China has become something of a political hot potato between the two countries at a pivotal time in the superpowers' relationship.

On Thursday the Chinese navy seized the drone from the USNS Bowditch -- an unarmed, oceanographic survey ship -- about 50 miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines.

The Pentagon says the unmanned vehicle was in the South China Sea gathering "military oceanographic data," such as salinity, water temperature and sound speed.

But a commentary published in the People's Daily, the ruling Communist Party's official mouthpiece, said the drone was linked to US efforts to "contain" China and was "just the tip of the iceberg" of its military strategy in the region.

China has agreed to return the drone, but details of the transfer haven't yet been agreed upon, the Pentagon said.

The incident comes at a volatile moment in US-China relations, with President-elect Donald Trump showing himself to be increasingly willing to challenge Beijing.

"So it will really depend on whether Trump's got good advisers around him who can navigate these issues," he added. "If not, then things could go badly wrong very quickly."

Why did China seize the drone?

China likely perceived the vessel as a threat to its small fleet of Type 094 strategic nuclear submarines that operate in the waters, said Zhang Baohui, a security expert at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.

"China is super-sensitive to US surveillance in the South China Sea, and many in the US don't accept mutual nuclear deterrence," Zhang explained.

"It's a confined area, and China feels its submarines are very vulnerable. It is my reading that China thought the US was using the drone to track down one of its submarines and they felt that had to act."

Was it in retaliation for Trump's Taiwan call?

"It seems likely to be in response to Trump's comments -- these things don't just happen by accident," said Brown.

"And for China, Taiwan is non-negotiable. It's something they're willing to get emotional about," he added.

What was Trump's reaction to the drone incident?

Trump took to Twitter to air his fury at the "unpresidented" act (he later changed the spelling to "unprecedented").

"China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters - rips it out of water and takes it to China in unprecedented act," said the US President-elect in one tweet.

"We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!" he said in another.

And the response in China?

China's official response to Trump's tweets has been relatively muted. However the Global Times, a provocative but state-sanctioned tabloid, had a scathing response.

"He bears no sense of how to lead a superpower," an opinion piece published in the newspaper late Sunday said.

"Even the US military did not use the term 'steal' to describe the move by the Chinese navy. Trump's second tweet makes people worry that he will treat China-US relations as child's play," it added.

What were US-China relations like before?

"On the whole it was relatively stable," said Brown of relations between the countries prior to Trump's comments.

"Obama and (Chinese President) Xi Jinping had forged a fairly strong relationship -- they got used to each other the last few years. There was a familiarity, they managed to read each other quite well," he added.

And what could they look like in the future?

Brown said that Trump wants a more profitable US trade deal with China and is keen to bring jobs, which he claimed were going to Chinese workers, back to America.

Meanwhile, China "basically wants America to get out of its backyard as much as possible," Brown said.

"At the moment Trump's just all talk," he added. "But if he carries on behaving like this when he's president, the Chinese response will be to push back even more."
The People's Republic of China returns a United States unmanned underwater drone that it seized in the South China Sea last week.