TAIPEI: The Taiwan military has expressed condemnation towards Chinese netizens for using drones to film activities on the outlying island of Erdan near Kinmen, Taiwan News reported on Saturday.

Rumours circulated online suggesting that unmanned aerial vehicles had captured footage of military movements on the Taiwanese-held island, within view of the Chinese city of Xiamen.

An investigation conducted by the Kinmen Defense Command revealed that the footage was taken on Friday afternoon while soldiers were unloading supplies. However, due to the distance and glare from the sun, the military reportedly did not notice the presence of the drone, as per Taiwan News.

The Kinmen Defense Command said local officers could take appropriate measures based on the threat level the drones posed. The military blamed some Chinese netizens for the provocative behaviour, which could easily escalate into a serious incident.

According to Taiwan News, a failure by the Chinese authorities to take action could lead to confrontation, which would affect regional peace and stability, according to the Kinmen Defense Command.

Tensions in the area heightened following the February incident involving the capsizing of an unmarked Chinese speedboat during a pursuit by Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration. The vessel was discovered in restricted waters near Kinmen.