BEIJING // China on Tuesday returned to the United States an underwater drone it had seized in an incident that has raised tensions between the two world powers amid signals of a tougher policy toward Beijing from president-elect Donald Trump.
Mr Trump has riled the Chinese leadership by saying he might reconsider US policy toward Taiwan, the self-ruled island the mainland claims as its territory.
The Chinese navy vessel that seized the drone last week returned it near where it was seized, and it was received by the USS Mustin about 80 kilometres north-west of Subic Bay in the Philippines, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said. Mr Cook said Washington considered the seizure illegal.
“This incident was inconsistent with both international law and standards of professionalism for conduct between navies at sea,” he said, adding that the US has called on China to refrain from “further efforts to impede lawful US activities”.
The US said it would continue to “fly, sail, and operate in the South China Sea wherever international law allows”.
A spokeswoman of China’s foreign ministry said there was no basis for the Pentagon’s assertion that the seizure was unlawful, instead linking it to US military presence in the waters, which Beijing considers provocative.
“We have been pointing out that over a long time, the US has been sending aircraft and vessels to conduct close-in reconnaissance and military surveys in waters facing China, which poses threats to China’s sovereignty and security,” said spokeswoman Hua Chunying.
“That is the root cause of the incident,” she said, calling for the US to stop such activities.
China’s defence ministry said it handed the drone back after “friendly consultations”.
Chinese officials say the drone was removed from the water to ensure the safety of passing ships, but domestic political experts have read the move as a warning to Mr Trump not to test Beijing’s resolve over Taiwan.
Early this month, Mr Trump broke protocol by speaking with Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen. He later said he did not feel “bound by a one-China policy” unless the US could gain trade or other benefits from China. Beijing regards any acknowledgement that Taiwan has its own head of state as a grave insult.
“China wants to send a message to the US side about how serious the consequences can be if sensitive issues in China-US relations are handled unilaterally and indiscreetly,” said Xiong Zhiyong, an international relations expert at the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. “The return of the seized drone shows that China hopes the US will not provoke China on these issues and engage in solving issues through consultation.”
The incident underscores how Mr Trump will confront as president an increasingly assertive China that wants to extend its reach in the South China Sea, a strategically vital area through which about US$5 trillion (Dh18.36bn) in global trade passes each year. Several of China’s smaller neighbours have protested China’s territorial claims there and are closely watching Mr Trump’s handling of the disputed sea.* Associated Press
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
Brief scores:
Manchester United 4
Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'
Fulham 1
Kamara 67' (pen),
Red card: Anguissa (68')
Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
The%20specs
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