File photo of South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
The US drone that China seized in the South China Sea has been successfully returned, China's Defense Ministry said.
"After friendly negotiation, the drone was transferred to the US at a location in the South China Sea on Tuesday noon," the ministry said in a press release.
The drone was discovered and retrieved by Chinese Navy last Thursday to "prevent danger to the safe navigation of passing ships and personnel", the ministry said. It was operating about 93 kilometers northwest of Subic Bay off the Philippines.
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