MOFA Vilifies China as Thief, Troublemaker 中國無人機擾金門 外交部:不請自來謂之賊

According to the Army's Kinmen Defense Command, a Chinese drone was spotted above restricted waters at Shi Islet at around 4 p.m. on Aug. 29. Warning flares were fired and the drone flew away.

Numerous Chinese drones have been spotted in the skies above Taiwan's outlying islands as of late. One even captured footage of Taiwan's military. The Kinmen Defense Command said another Chinese civilian drone was seen above restricted waters about 200 meters from Shi Islet on Aug. 29 at an altitude of about 30 meters. Warning flares were fired and the drone flew away.

Chang Jung-shun, Spokesperson, Kinmen Defense Command: “Soldiers should respond by following the procedure of firing warning flares, reporting the incursion, expelling the drone, and ultimately shooting it down. The drone in question flew away in the direction of Xiamen after a warning flare was fired.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called China a "regional troublemaker" because "uninvited people are called thieves." Scholars say the harassment by these drones can be considered a quasi-military operation. The experience in Israel shows that shooting at drones may result in injuries to ground personnel, and flying objects or electronic jamming can be used to respond.

Su Tzu-yun, Director, Div. of Defense Strategy & Resources, INDSR: “They're taking advantage of the fact that this democratic country uses military force cautiously to send drones to invade and harass defensive outposts on our outlying islands. It's a standard, gray zone operation, a purely military operation. They can be captured using jammers or smashed using special equipment.”

The U.S. also chimed in to condemn China's behavior, accusing China of trying to change the status quo and establish a new normal. It said it cannot accept this.

John Kirby, US NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications: “We're not going to accept whatever new normal the Chinese want to put in place. We're going to continue to do what we can in accordance with the law to help Taiwan defend itself. You saw it over the weekend. Two Navy cruisers [were] conducting a Taiwan Strait transit in international waters. We're going to continue to abide by international law. We certainly urge the Chinese to do the same.”

U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby revealed that two U.S. Navy cruisers transited the Taiwan Strait and also urged China to abide by international law. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said deployment and drills will continue over the next several days and even possibly the next several months as a response to China's provocative behavior against Taiwan and to stabilize the regional situation.

日前多起中國無人機進入我國外島上空事件，還拍攝我軍防衛作為，陸軍金防部29日下午又在距離獅嶼大約200公尺禁限制水域上空，高度約30公尺處發現一架民用無人機，立刻用信號彈驅離。

陸軍金防部發言人張榮順表示：「駐守部隊即依『示警、通報、驅離、防衛射擊』之程序應處，該架無人機於守軍射擊信號彈示警後，往廈門方向飛離。」

對於中國外交部以無人機入侵金門，大作一中文章，台灣外交部以「不請自來謂之賊」，批評中國是「區域麻煩製造者」。也有學者認為，對岸無人機持續侵擾是準軍事行動，參考過去以色列的經驗，以火力射擊可能會造成地面人員傷害，可以採用飛行物或電子干擾應對。

國防院國防戰略與資源研究所所長蘇紫雲就建議：「利用民主國家謹慎使用武力的考量，無人機持續侵擾我外島的防衛據點，它就是一個標準的灰色地帶的行動，也就是一個準軍事行動，（可以）利用包括干擾槍捕捉，或者是特殊的機具把它撞毀。」

美國也批評，中國相關動作是想要改變現狀，建立「新常態」的作為，並表達強硬態度，不會接受。

美國白宮國安會發言人柯比說：「我們不會接受中國想建立的新常態，我們會繼續盡所能，依法幫助台灣自衛，你週末看到兩艘海軍驅逐艦通過台灣海峽國際水域，我們將繼續遵守國際法，也敦促中國也這樣做。」

柯比提到兩艘美國驅逐艦通過台海，也希望中國遵守國際法，美國白宮發言人尚皮耶也表示，未來幾天甚至幾個月，會持續相關部署與演練，因應中國對台挑釁行為，希望讓區域局勢回復穩定。