Taiwan on Saturday (16/3) warned Chinese Coast Guard ships entering restricted waters near frontline islands close to China for the second day in a row. This happened amidst increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan's Coast Guard said four Chinese Coast Guard ships on Saturday morning entered restricted waters off the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen Islands. The islands border the China Coast. It said the Chinese ships were there more than an hour after Taiwanese authorities asked them to leave.
China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, although Taipei strongly denies the claim. Beijing has steadily increased military activity near Taiwan in recent years, carrying out almost daily incursions into its air defense identification zone.
“You have entered our country's restricted waters. Please turn around immediately,” a Taiwanese official said over the radio in a broadcast message to their Chinese counterparts, according to a recording released Saturday by Taiwan's Coast Guard.
The footage shows a Taiwanese Coast Guard ship tracking the movements of two Chinese ships at close range.
“This move has a serious impact on traffic and safety. To avoid naval incidents, we urge them to stop this behavior,” Taiwan's Coast Guard said in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from China's Coast Guard.
The Chinese Coast Guard also carried out patrols near the Kinmen Islands on Friday, and Taiwan also warned four Chinese Coast Guard ships, according to Taiwan's official Central News Agency.
Last month, China's Coast Guard began routine patrols around Kinmen, after two Chinese nationals died while trying to escape from Taiwan's Coast Guard after their boat entered restricted waters.
Taiwan sent a Coast Guard ship on Thursday to join the rescue mission at China's request after a Chinese fishing boat capsized near the Kinmen Islands. The Taiwanese government emphasizes the importance of cooperation between Taiwan and China amidst rising tensions.
On Friday, Taiwan also sent several ships at China's request to help search for a Chinese fisherman who went out to sea near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands, at the northern tip of the Taiwan Strait.
A senior Taiwanese security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters that Beijing was sending “confusing” messages by continuing to harass Taiwan, and also asking for Taipei's help in dealing with maritime incidents.
The official said the Chinese Coast Guard's latest actions in Kinmen “do not pose a major security threat” but complicate the situation there.
“We don't know anything,” the official said. “We tried to save the fishermen yesterday and today they showed their teeth and claws.” (ah/ft)