Tit For Tat: Beijing Seizes US Drone In Retaliation After Trump Questions ‘One China’ Policy

“Speak softly and carry a big stick” is what the United States President Teddy Roosevelt used to say. That quote came to represent the “big stick diplomacy”.

In the recent years, if any country that has perfected this art to consummation, it is China. But when it came to the US, China refrained from taking out the stick. It was all soft talk. Until now. The dragon has seized a unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), or the underwater drone belonging to the US, 100 miles off the Philippine port at Subic Bay. The Pentagon, headquarters of US department of defense, has called upon the Chinese to “return our UUV immediately.”

The Pentagon official told the media that USNS Bowditch was picking up its two underwater drones in the area when the incident happened. The drones, he claims, were simply measuring ocean conditions. But the Chinese naval ship was following the Bowditch and they put a small boat into the water and took one of the drones. When the Americans tried to make contact on the radio claiming that the drone was their property, they got no response.

Why did the Chinese seize the US naval vessel? Remember President-elect Donald Trump receiving a congratulatory call from Taiwan president, breaking decades old US commitment to ‘One China’ policy under which Beijing considers Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau as part of China? A few days later he tweeted asking, “Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into their country (the U.S. doesn't tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so!”

Then, last Sunday, in an interview with Fox News, he said: “I don't know why we have to be bound by a 'One China' policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade.”

“I don’t want China dictating to me,” Trump had said.

Earlier, China had downplayed the Taiwan president-Trump call. Many thought that the dragon will resort to strategic restraint. Well, they were wrong. Actions have consequences. And Beijing is no more willing to fly under the radar. Is is signalling the onset of a new cold war? Maybe its too early to judge but it’s certainly sending a message that the US is no longer the sole pole of geopolitical hegemony in the world anymore.

Trump is speaking harshly. And it is not clear if he is willing to bring out the big stick. Maybe he should heed Teddy’s advice.