Drone shot down near Taiwan islet

On high alert: Pilots at an air force base in Penghu Islands, Taiwan. Tsai said she has ordered the Ministry of National Defence to take necessary and strong countermeasures to defend national security. — Reuters

The island’s military for the first time shot down an unidentified civilian drone that entered its airspace near an islet off the Chinese coast, after the government vowed to take tough measures to deal with an increase in such intrusions.

Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own against the strong objections of the Taipei government, has held military exercises around the island since early last month in reaction to a visit to Taipei by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.