Chinese Coast Guard Boarded Taiwan Ship After Deadly Boat Incident
Taipei, Taiwan — Chinese coast guard officials briefly boarded a Taiwanese ship Monday, Taipei said, after Beijing announced it would step up patrols following a boat incident in which two Chinese nationals died.
The boat was carrying four Chinese nationals when it capsized last week near Taiwan's Kinmen islands while pursued by the Taiwanese coast guard.
All four onboard were thrown into the water and two of the crew later died. The two rescued were detained in Kinmen — a territory administered by Taiwan but located just five kilometers (three miles) from China's city of Xiamen.
Taiwan had defended its actions by saying the boat was in prohibited waters, while China said it would increase "law enforcement patrol operations" in the area.
On Monday, Taipei's coast guard announced that two Chinese coast guard boats near Kinmen had approached a Taiwanese cruise ship.
"Six mainland coast guard officers boarded the ship. After inspecting the ship's voyage plan, ship certificate, the captain and crew's licenses and the captain's signature, they left the ship," it said in a statement.
Taipei's coast guard dispatched personnel who arrived shortly after their Chinese counterparts had left the cruise ship, which carried 11 crew members and 23 passengers.
They "accompanied the ship all the way back to Shuitou Port" in Kinmen, the coast guard said, urging China "to uphold peace and rationality."
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council — which handles issues regarding Beijing — also announced late Monday that the families of the detained Chinese crew members involved in the capsizing are expected to arrive in Kinmen on Tuesday.
The Straits Exchange Foundation — a semi-official Taiwanese body that handles technical and business affairs with China — said permits were issued Monday to the families.
The foundation "will also send personnel to Kinmen to provide humanitarian care to the mainland family members who will arrive in Kinmen on February 20 and assist them in
handling the aftermath," it said.
The February 14 incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions between China and Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing claims as part of its territory.
Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, and in recent years ramped up the rhetoric of "unification."
It has increased military pressures on Taiwan by deploying warplanes and naval vessels around the island nearly daily.
Taiwan also recently had a presidential election in January which saw the win of Democratic Progressive Party's Lai Ching-te — a candidate Beijing considers a "separatist."