The Kinmen Defense Command, a branch of Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, said the drone was shot down after warning flares failed to take it away. This is the latest in a series of similar incidents near the offshore island group. Unidentified drones have been reported in the Kinmen area for four consecutive days, but this is the first time it has been shot down by Taiwan. On Tuesday, Taiwanese soldiers fired flares at three unidentified drones that flew near Kinmen and warning shots at one that re-entered the area. It is unclear who is flying the drones, although China’s foreign ministry said Thursday it was “not aware of the situation” and that “it is pointless (Taiwan) to exaggerate the tension.” After Tuesday’s incident, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said she had ordered the defense ministry to take “strong countermeasures” against what she said were Chinese gray zone warfare tactics. On Wednesday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reinforced that message at an international press conference held in response to Chinese military exercises in August, saying it “will act in accordance with operational orders to exercise our rights of self-defense.” Tensions between Taiwan and mainland China have risen since US President Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in August. China’s Communist Party claims Taiwan, a self-governing republic, as part of its territory, even though it has never ruled it and has long vowed to “reunify” the island with mainland China, by force if necessary. China responded to Pelosi’s trip by ordering days of military exercises in Taiwan. On Monday, when asked about reports of private drones flying in the Kinmen area, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman replied: “Chinese drones flying over China’s territory — what’s there to be surprised about?”
