Beijing urges Philippines to 'thoroughly investigate' killing
Beijing would give Taiwan its strong backing if tensions triggered by the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine coastguard last week continue to escalate, analysts said yesterday.
Beijing would give Taiwan its strong backing if tensions triggered by the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine coastguard last week continue to escalate, analysts said yesterday.
But Beijing would express its support cautiously, they say, to avoid being seen as using the spat to step up cross-strait reunification efforts.
So far we have not considered working with the mainland over the issue
The foreign ministry and the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing have condemned Thursday's shooting in waters claimed by both the Philippines and Taiwan as part of their exclusive economic zones.
"We urged the Philippines to thoroughly investigate the case and furnish the details," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in Beijing yesterday.
Professor Xu Bodong, director of Beijing Union University's Taiwan Institute, said Beijing could possibly step up patrols in the South China Sea if the Philippines did not give a satisfactory reply to Taiwan.
Li Jiaquan, a senior researcher specialising in Taiwan affairs at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Beijing could also support Taiwanese sanctions against the Philippines.
He said Beijing's support would help lower Taiwanese people's resistance to closer ties with Beijing because "this will add positive sentiments to cross-straits efforts for resisting foreign intrusion".