Rejected Taiwan's Complaints On Drones, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs: Flying In China Region, Not Making Commotion

JAKARTA - China's Foreign Ministry on Monday rejected complaints from Taiwan about "harassment" over and over by Chinese drones, very close to Taiwan-controlled islands, saying it was "not worth the matter".

Taiwan has repeatedly reported drone flights on its controlled islands, close to China's shores.

It has been carried out since China started war games and military exercises near Taiwan earlier this month, following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit.

Video of at least two of these drone missions has been widely circulated on Chinese social media. One of them shows Taiwanese soldiers throwing stones to repel drones.

Speaking at a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said he had seen the footage.

"China drones flying around China, it's not something that causes a commotion," he stressed.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported further drone attacks on Monday, near small Lion Island, part of the Kinmen island group located across the city of Xiamen and Quanzhou in China.

It said the army fired flares to warn him and after a minute the drone flew towards Xiamen.

Taiwan has taken control of Kinmen, along with Matsu's islands further to China's shores, since the Chinese Republic government fled to Taipei, after losing civil war to Communist Mao Zedong in 1949.

At its closest point, the Chinese-controlled region is only a few hundred meters from Kinmen.