Trump Says Let China Keep the 'Stolen' Submarine

The elected President of the United States addressed China again in a recent tweet, referring to the issue of the unmanned submarine of the United States that China has 'seized,' stating, 'Let them keep the stolen vessel for themselves.' He added, 'We should tell China that we do not want the unmanned vessel they have seized. Let them keep it for themselves!' In the hours following the announcement of the seizure of the American vessel, Mr. Trump, in his first tweet addressing the issue, accused China of 'stealing' the U.S. Navy's research vessel in international waters, stating, 'They took the vessel from the water and, in an unprecedented act, brought it to China.' The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Friday that the Chinese Navy had taken and seized an unmanned submarine of the United States from the water. The U.S. government has requested its return. China claims it took the submarine from the water 'to prevent danger to shipping traffic in the South China Sea' and decided to 'return it through appropriate means' after it was confirmed to belong to the United States. The South China Sea has been one of the main centers of political crises and tensions in recent years; while Beijing is trying to increase its influence there, U.S. allies in the region have repeatedly expressed their concerns and objections to China's actions. Previously, the Pentagon stated that the seized unmanned submarine was engaged in scientific activities, specifically measuring water temperature and salinity. The Chinese Ministry of Defense had accused the U.S. of sending vessels aimed at gathering military intelligence. Currently, the Pentagon says it has reached an understanding with Chinese officials to return the vessel. Donald Trump, during his presidential campaign, was a staunch critic of China's monetary and economic policies. Some of his actions and statements have faced official reactions from Beijing following his election victory. Central to this is the issue of Taiwan, an unprecedented phone conversation with the President of that country in decades, and questions regarding the necessity for the United States to adhere to the 'One China' policy. China considers Taiwan a part of its territory. Taiwan has an elected president and parliament and possesses a political, judicial, and economic system separate from China; however, it is currently led by a government that is seen as opposing policies of excessive closeness to China.