The Chinese Coast Guard, Sunday (18/2), will increase law enforcement and carry out routine patrols around a small group of islands controlled by Taiwan off the coast of China following the deaths of two Chinese citizens. This incident increased tensions in the region.
Taiwan on Thursday defended its coast guard's actions after two Chinese men died when their boat capsized while trying to escape a pursuing coast guard boat. The other two survived. The position of their ship at that time was too close to the front line of Taiwan Island at the time of the incident.
Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, has in recent years complained about the presence of Chinese fishing boats and other vessels operating in Taiwan-controlled waters, especially around the Kinmen and Matsu Islands which are located not far from China's coast.
China condemned Taiwan's actions and called the incident near Beiding Island in Kinmen a “crime”.
China's Coast Guard said in a brief statement that they would strengthen their maritime law enforcement forces and carry out regular law enforcement patrols and inspections in the waters around Kinmen and Xiamen.
This is to “further maintain orderly operations in the waters concerned and safeguard the safety of fishermen's lives and property”, he added.
On Saturday evening, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said the deaths caused “great anger” in China, but that no waters were restricted.
“Fishermen on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have operated in traditional fishing grounds in the Xiamen-Kinmen maritime region since ancient times, and there is no such thing as 'forbidden or restricted waters',” he said.
The Mainland Affairs Council that sets China's policy on Taiwan said Taiwanese forces would continue to enforce rules prohibiting China's illegal access to Taiwanese waters around Kinmen, but denied China's accusations of “rough expulsion.”
However, the ships, which had no name, no port certification or registration, carried out “constant intrusions” and carried out dangerous acts while trying to escape, causing “unfortunate incidents” that no one wanted to see, he added.
Kinmen and Matsu have been under Taipei since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. (ah)