(单词翻译:单击)
Beijing "expresses its strong dissatisfaction and protest over the use of armed force by the US side" to attack a civilian unmanned airship from China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in statement issued on Sunday.
中国外交部在周日发表的声明中表示，中方对美方使用武力袭击民用无人飞艇表示强烈不满和抗议。
A Chinese unmanned airship was spotted in the airspace above the United States earlier this week before Washington claimed it shot down the airship on Saturday.
本周早些时候，中国一艘无人驾驶飞艇被发现出现在美国上空，随后华盛顿方面声称于周六击落了这艘飞艇。
The Foreign Ministry said in its statement that China, after completing verification,
外交部在声明中表示，中方经核查后，
"has informed the US side multiple times the airship is for civilian use and it entered the US due to force majeure, constituting a completely unintended situation".
“已多次告知美方，该飞艇属民用性质，因不可抗力进入美国，完全是意外情况。”
China has clearly requested the US handle the situation properly in a calm, professional and restrained manner, the ministry said.
中方明确要求美方以冷静、专业、克制的态度妥善处理此事。
The Pentagon's spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said on Thursday the airship "does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground".
美国国防部发言人帕特里克·莱德准将也于周四表示，该飞艇“不会对地面人员构成军事或人身威胁”。
"Under such a circumstance, the US side's persistence in using armed force is an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice," the statement said.
声明称，“在此情况下，美方执意动用武力，明显反应过度，严重违反国际惯例。”
China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the enterprise concerned while reserving its right to make further necessary responses, it added.
中方将坚决维护有关企业的合法权益，同时保留作出进一步必要回应的权利。
