Off the coast of Taiwan

Chinese sailors die during inspection attempt

Archive image from 2013: A ship of the Taiwanese coast guard

(Bild: AFP)

A fatal incident in the strait between China and Taiwan has further aggravated relations between the two countries. Last week, the crew of a Chinese fishing boat tried to evade an inspection and fled from the Taiwanese coast guard. The boat capsized. Two sailors died and two were rescued.

The incident occurred near the Taiwanese island of Kinmen, just a few kilometers from the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen. After the boat capsized, the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office called it a "malicious incident" and demanded clarification. Spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian demanded on Monday that Taiwan cooperate in the case. On Tuesday, relatives of the surviving sailors arrived in Kinmen to pick them up.

Following the accident, China stepped up its coastguard presence in the region. According to the Taiwanese news agency CNA, Chinese officials boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat carrying 23 passengers and eleven crew members on Monday to inspect it. Such inspections are rather rare - and are seen by Taiwan as a violation of its own sovereignty.

Dispute over "traditional fishing areas"
China does not recognize the accessible and restricted areas defined by Taiwan in 1992, but refers to them as "traditional fishing areas". China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and threatens to conquer the island republic by force, even though it has had an independent and democratically elected government for decades. Relations between the two countries have therefore been tense for many years.

Taiwan's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo Cheng made it clear after the latest incident that the Taiwanese army would not get involved because they wanted to "avoid a war". He also appealed to both sides to "settle the matter peacefully".