BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry on Friday said Taiwan’s ruling party was attempting to hype tensions, after the self-governed island shot down an unidentified civilian drone this week.
“The Democratic Progressive Party’s attempt to hype-up tensions does not mean anything,” spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a regular briefing, in response to a question about the shooting of the drone.
Taiwan downed the drone when it buzzed a Taiwanese-controlled island off the Chinese coast on Thursday. Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang said the shooting was the most “appropriate” thing to do after repeated warnings, adding that China should exercise restraint.
Neither Taiwan nor China have explicitly said the drone came from China.
(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Writing by Liz Lee; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel)
