China returns underwater drone to US

By Fuat Kabakci

BEIJING (AA) - China has returned an underwater drone seized in the South China Sea to the United States, according to China’s defense ministry Tuesday.

State news agency Xinhua cited a ministry statement as saying that the handover at noon came after “friendly consultation” and was conducted “smoothly” in the sea.

According to the Pentagon, the U.S. Navy ocean glider was collecting oceanographic data when it was seized by a Dalang Class Chinese ship 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines last week.

The U.S. had issued a formal diplomatic complaint over the “unlawful seizure” in what became the latest confrontation between China and the U.S. in the region.

China’s defense ministry had responded by saying that the “unidentified” device was seized to ensure the “safe navigation of passing ships” and that the U.S. had “hyped up” the matter