Mainland China coastguard to mount regular patrols where 2 fishermen died after Taiwan chase

Fujian bureau will carry out regular inspections in waters between Xiamen and Taiwan
Move to ‘maintain operational order and safeguard fishermen’ comes days after Beijing condemned deaths during chase by Taiwanese boats off Quemoy

Taiwan

Vanessa Caiin Shanghai

Published: 8:01pm, 18 Feb 2024

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Mainland Chinese coastguard have pledged to regularly patrol the waters near Quemoy, a Taiwan-controlled group of islands also known as Kinmen.

This comes days after Beijing condemned Taiwan over the deaths of two mainland Chinese fishermen whose boat capsized during a chase by Taiwanese patrol vessels near Quemoy.

In a statement on its website on Sunday, the mainland coastguard said its Fujian bureau would carry out regular patrols and inspections in waters between Xiamen and Taiwan to strengthen maritime law enforcement.

Fujian province’s port city of Xiamen lies just a few nautical miles from Quemoy, a defence outpost of Taiwan and its nearest point to the mainland.

The regular patrols aimed to “maintain operational order in sea areas and safeguard fishermen’s lives and property”, the statement said.

Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) – which oversees cross-strait ties – said it had taken note of the coastguard’s move.

02:20

Two mainland Chinese fishermen drown after Taiwan coastguard pursuit

TAO spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said the two deaths had been caused by the Taiwanese authorities’ “rough expulsion” of the mainland fishing boat.

The tragedy had “sparked widespread outrage on the mainland, severely harmed the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and seriously undermined cross-strait relations”, she said in a statement on Sunday.

Beijing has strongly condemned Taiwan over the deaths on Wednesday, accusing its coastguard of using “violent and dangerous methods”.

The Taiwanese coastguard said the fishermen’s speedboat was found trespassing into prohibited waters off Quemoy.

When the coastguard gave chase, the boat capsized and its four occupants fell overboard. All four were recovered from the water by Taiwan but only two survived.

Zhu said on Saturday that fishermen from both sides of the Taiwan Strait had been operating “in the traditional fishing zones in the Xiamen-Kinmen sea area since ancient times”.

“There is no such a thing as ‘prohibited or restricted’ waters in the zones,” she said. “The mainland is full of goodwill towards Taiwan compatriots, but will not tolerate the Taiwan authorities’ disregard for the lives and property of mainland fishermen.”

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Zhu also urged Taiwan to release the two detained fishermen and their boat, and called for an investigation into the incident and punishment for those found accountable.

Beijing also reserved the right to take further measures, she added.

Beijing views Taiwan as part of China which must be reunited, by force if necessary.

Most countries do not recognise self-governed Taiwan as independent but are opposed to any unilateral change to the status quo.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council rejected Beijing’s accusations, saying the island’s authorities had always carried out appropriate enforcement measures against trespassing mainland boats.

Authorities would continue strict law enforcement banning unauthorised mainland boats, the council said on Sunday.