China Says It Seized U.S. Navy Drone To Ensure Safety Of Ships
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BEIJING (CBSNEWS/AP) - China said Saturday that its military was in contact with its American counterparts on "appropriately" handling the Chinese navy's seizure of a U.S. Navy unmanned underwater glider, one of the most serious incidents between the two militaries in years.
The one-sentence comment by the foreign ministry offered no details on what discussions were underway regarding the drone, which, according to the Pentagon, was being operated by civilian contractors to conduct oceanic research.
The U.S. said it issued a formal diplomatic complaint over the seizure and demanded the drone's return. On Saturday, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the U.S. had "secured an understanding" that China would return the drone.
"China and U.S. are appropriately managing the incident via the two countries' military channels," the office of the Chinese foreign ministry's spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News earlier Saturday.
China's defense ministry posted a statement on Saturday night on the microblogging site Weibo.
The statement said the Chinese navy "found an unidentified device" on Thursday afternoon and checked it "with a professional and responsible attitude" to prevent it from harming passing watercrafts and personnel.