US survey ship with drone was spying: Chinese daily

December 18, 2016 20:42

The American oceanographic survey ship which controls the underwater drone seized by China had been spying against the Communist nation posing a threat to Chinese naval ships in the South China Sea, a state-run daily

has said while claiming that such activities by the US Navy were "very rampant" in the strategic region.

"We welcome that the Chinese navy is conducting regular 'verification and examination' of devices dispatched by the US to collect intelligence in China's surrounding waters in future. This should go along with US sabotage activities in China's periphery," an editorial posted on the web edition of the state-run Global Times daily said today.

"The US claimed that the glider was collecting unclassified data such as salinity and water temperature, which are routine operations in accordance with international law. However, this argument is absurd," the daily said.

The Chinese military said last night that the drone seized by its naval boat would be returned "in an appropriate manner" after the US took up the issue with China, but did not give any time line.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

DC Vs GT: Who Bowled The Best Spell? Vote!

Delhi's bowling attack held its nerve, securing a dramatic victory.

Not changing 2G judgment, non-auction allocation only for...: Sources

The government is not seeking to change the 2012 Supreme Court judgment that backed auction as the preferred mode of allocating telecom spectrum except for narrowly defined sectors such as satellite communication and defence where the...

It's Modi govt that wanted to bring inheritance tax: Cong

Amid the row over Congress leader Sam Pitroda's remarks, the party on Wednesday asserted that it has no plans whatsoever to introduce an inheritance tax and cited former Union minister Jayant Sinha's remarks to allege that it is the Modi...

'Can't control polls': SC to EVM critics as it reserves order

The Supreme Court said on Wednesday it cannot 'control the elections' or issue directions simply because doubts have been raised about the efficacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), as it reserved its judgment on a clutch of petitions...

Modi's 'redistribution' charge against Cong gets Pitroda's booster

In his poll rallies, Modi framed Pitroda's comments in his wider onslaught against the Congress, asserting that they have exposed its hidden agenda and that the party has become so removed from the country's social and family values that...