We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2016
Washington Post: China said it would return a seized U.S. naval drone. Trump told them to ‘keep it.’
The Chinese government said Saturday it will return a U.S. naval drone seized last week in the South China Sea, a step toward defusing maritime tensions between the two Pacific powers.
President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the news by telling them he doesn’t want it back. “We should tell China that we don’t want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!” he tweeted Saturday evening.
The comment could prolong one of the most serious incidents between the U.S. and Chinese militaries in recent memory, potentially complicating ties ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
The latest spike in U.S.-Chinese maritime tensions occurred Thursday, when a Chinese submarine rescue ship close to the USNS Bowditch, an oceanographic survey vessel operating about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines, took possession of the U.S. drone.
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Update #1: 'Let them keep it!' Trump says China can have the drone they stole after the country accused America of 'hyping up' controversy when President-elect called it an 'unpresidented act' in misspelled tweet (Daily Mail)
Update #2: Trump Says U.S. Should Refuse to Take Back Drone Seized By China (NBC)
WNU Editor: This is not what the Chinese had expected. They expected a muted but grateful response from the White House .... and China playing the "Big Guy" in Asia by agreeing to return the drone and defusing tensions. Instead .... President-elect Trump has just elbowed out a "sleeping" White House and in his response is making the Chinese look like petty thieves .... and worse .... making China "lose face" in Asia. I know that the Chinese are spinning the story into something else, but the fact that there has been no immediate response to President-elect Trump's Tweet tells me that they do not know how to respond .... hence the silence. I have to laugh .... because everyone is now looking at China for a response .... but how can you respond to someone who just told you to "shove it". My prediction .... they are going to hand over the drone but they are going to be quiet about it. But make no mistake about it .... the leadership in Beijing have just learned a hard lesson that there is a new player in Washington .... and even though President Obama is still the President .... all focus is now on President-Elect Trump.
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