Top Asian News 4:06 a.m. GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday on Twitter the United States should let China keep the U.S. Navy's unmanned underwater glider that it seized in the South China Sea. "We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!" Trump tweeted a few hours after the U.S. military announced it had reached an understanding with China for the return of the underwater glider. According to the Pentagon, the drone was seized Thursday while collecting unclassified scientific data in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety. The U.S. demanded the drone back, calling it an "unlawful seizure" in international waters.

BEIJING (AP) — China said Saturday its military seized a U.S. Navy unmanned underwater glider in the South China Sea but it would give the drone back. But President-elect Donald Trump tweeted later that the Chinese government should be told "we don't want the drone they stole back" and "let them keep it!" This comes after United States officials had confirmed that they "secured an understanding" for the return of the device. Trump's evening tweet may extend one of the most serious incidents between the American and the Chinese militaries in years. The Chinese navy on Thursday seized the drone, which the Pentagon said was being operated by civilian contractors to conduct oceanic research.

President-elect Donald Trump says the U.S. should let China keep the U.S. Navy's unmanned underwater glider that it seized in the South China Sea. Trump tweeted Saturday: "We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!" His tweet came after the U.S. military announced it had reached an understanding with China for the return of the underwater glider. On Saturday morning, Trump took to Twitter to blast China for, as he described it, ripping the research drone out of the water. According to the Pentagon, the drone was seized Thursday while collecting unclassified scientific data in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian military Hercules C-130 transport plane crashed Sunday in the easternmost province of Papua, killing all 13 people on board. Air force chief of staff Agus Supriatna told MetroTV the plane was carrying 12 tons of food supplies and cement from Timika to Wamena, a distance of about 200 kilometers (125 miles), when it crashed just minutes before its scheduled landing. He said bad weather was suspected to be the cause of the crash. The plane was carrying three pilots and 10 other personnel. TV footage showed rescuers and locals had reached the wreckage of the plane and were bringing out the victims.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The United States said Sunday it will work with the Philippine president to address any concerns after he threatened to terminate a pact that allows U.S. troops to visit the Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte was enraged after a U.S. government aid agency deferred a vote on a renewal of a major development assistance package for the Philippines over concerns about extrajudicial killings in Duterte's war on illegal drugs, which has left thousands dead. Although no decision on the aid package has been taken, Duterte on Saturday launched an expletives-laden tirade, telling the U.S. to "prepare to leave the Philippines, prepare for the eventual repeal or the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement." He was referring to a 1998 accord that governs American forces visiting the Philippines for joint combat exercises.

TOKYO (AP) — It's been five years since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, whose demise was observed at monuments and on city center plazas across the nation Saturday. Here's a look at five ways the country that has now been ruled by three generations of Kim — starting with grandfather Kim Il Sung — has changed since the ascension of its 30-something "respected marshal." ___ THE MAN HIMSELF Kim Jong Un is in some ways a lot more like his charismatic and gregarious, albeit brutal and megalomaniacal, grandfather than Kim Jong Il.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine president said Saturday he would "set aside" a ruling by an international arbitration tribunal that invalidated Beijing's claims to most of the busy South China Sea, because he doesn't want to impose on China. President Rodrigo Duterte made the remarks when asked in a news conference if a U.S. think tank report that China apparently installed anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapons on its new artificial islands in the disputed waters would affect his perception of Beijing. The Philippines claims the reefs that were turned by China into man-made islands. Duterte, who took office in June, has taken steps to mend relations with China that grew hostile during the time of his predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, over the long-unresolved territorial disputes.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Supporters of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye clashed with anti-Park protesters Saturday, as large crowds of demonstrators again gathered in Seoul to demand the scandal-ridden leader's immediate ouster. The historically large weekend protests over an explosive corruption scandal pushed South Korea's opposition-controlled parliament to vote this month to impeach Park. The impeachment suspended Park's powers until the Constitutional Court decides whether she should permanently step down or be reinstated. While polls measure Park's popularity in the low single digits, her impeachment has become a rallying point for her conservative supporters, who turned out in the tens of thousands on Saturday.

SYDNEY (AP) — A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Papua New Guinea on Saturday, generating a small tsunami and knocking out power in parts of the Pacific island nation. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The magnitude-7.9 quake struck 46 kilometers (29 miles) east of Taron in Papua New Guinea, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake was deep, at 103 kilometers (61 miles). Deeper earthquakes tend to cause less damage than shallow ones. The USGS initially said the quake's magnitude was 8.0, but later downgraded the strength. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was a threat of a tsunami in Papua New Guinea and nearby areas.

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar government forces have started launching attacks on the headquarters of the military wing of one of the country's ethnic rebel groups, the group said Saturday. Tang San, a battalion commander for the Kachin Independence Army, said government forces have been using "fighter jets and heavy weapons continuously" on the headquarters in northeastern Mynamar since early Friday. Ethnic rebel groups in the northeast have been waging attacks on government forces since last month. They have said that the attacks are in response to military pressure, but that they are still interested in peace talks to try to end decades of fighting between the government and ethnic minority groups.