Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel, according to the Taiwanese coast guard.
The vessel was travelling close to the coast of China near an island controlled by Taiwan. Chinese officials took it to a Chinese port, further escalating tensions.
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory. It has stepped up pressure on Taipei since May, when President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing accuses of being “separatist,” took power.
The squid fishing vessel was near the Kinmen Islands, administered by Taiwan. The islands are located near the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou.
The Taiwanese vessel was operating during China’s fishing ban, the coast guard reported, adding that Taiwan would contact China and urge them to release the fishermen as soon as possible. Taiwan sent its own coast guard ships to help and issued warnings asking China to release the fishing vessel. However, the Chinese ships ordered not to intervene.
The Taiwan’s ships then withdrew to avoid conflict and the Taiwanese fishing vessel was taken to a Chinese port. Three of the five fishermen were Indonesian migrant labourers.
Taiwan Coast Guard Administration Deputy Director-General, Hsieh Ching-chin, said China should explain why it confiscated the boat. He also noted that in previous cases, the fishermen were released after paying fines for working during China’s fishing ban.
The coast guard also calls on the mainland side not to use political factors to handle this situation.
Judha Nugraha, director for citizen protection at Indonesia’s foreign ministry, announced that the country’s consulate general in Guangzhou would provide assistance to the detained Indonesians.
Taiwan and China often detain fishing vessels that violate each other’s border. According to Taiwan’s coast guard, Taipei has detained five such boats from China this year.
