Several drones spotted above a Belgian airbase over the weekend were there “to spy” on military fighter jets, the country’s defense minister said Sunday, at a time when European nations are on high alert for airspace intrusions.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth leaves after a bilateral meeting with Malaysia's Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. | Dita Alangkara

China’s defense ministry issued a cautious response, emphasizing its longstanding positions. Dong Jun stressed the reunification of China and Taiwan is an “unstoppable historical trend” and urged the U.S. to be cautious in its words and actions on the Taiwan issue, the statement said.