China Says It Will Return the Underwater Drone It Seized From the US (thehill.com)

An anonymous reader quotes The Hill: China said Saturday it will return the unmanned U.S. drone it seized in the South China Sea, calling the issue "hyped up" by the U.S. "Upon confirming that the device was a U.S. underwater drone, the Chinese side decided to transfer it to the U.S. side in an appropriate manner," said the spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry, Sr. Col. Yang Yujun, according to CNN. "China and the United States have been communicating about this process. It is inappropriate -- and unhelpful for a resolution -- that the U.S. has unilaterally hyped up the issue. We express our regret over that."
A Defense Ministry spokesman added that China opposes U.S. "surveillance and military surveys in waters facing China...and demands the U.S. cease such activities. China will stay alert over relevant U.S. activities and will take necessary measures to counter them."

Comments

Key omission from American media

[hackingbear]

If you read the Chinese news report, the statement says it "seize the unknown object because it posed safety concern to the passing sea traffic". Of course, it is an excuse. But given we use the excuse of "freedom of navigation" to intrude within the 12 nm of their claimed island, it is a fair game.

Re:Key omission from American media

[MightyMartian]

There's no alternative interpretation of this bit of maritime.lae. if the original sea mount isn't above water at high tide then it isn't an island and pouring gravel and concrete on it does not make it an island, at least not for the purposes of extending maritime economic zones.

Re:Confucious say

[Anonymous Coward]

Odd that you keep bringing up Trump when it's Obama and his administration that have been making this situation worse.