Taiwan shoots down drone off Chinese coast for first time

Action near islet comes after Taipei vowed to take tough measures to deal with increase in such intrusions

Taiwan's military has shot down for the first time 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 objections of the Taipei government, has held military exercises around the island since early last month in reaction to a visit to Taipei by the US House of Representatives speaker, Nancy Pelosi.