Fighter jets in action

Eleven Chinese naval vessels sighted near Taiwan

A naval vessel from China (symbolic image)

(Bild: AFP)

Eleven Chinese naval vessels have been sighted around Taiwan. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense stated that China had also sent 15 fighter jets into the airspace around the island in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday morning. Since then, another 15 fighter jets have been sighted. Meanwhile, the new government of the Pacific island state of Tuvalu reaffirmed its "special" relationship with Taiwan, countering fears of a shift towards China.

Since the political split between the two in 1949, China has regarded the democratically governed and self-governing Taiwan as a renegade territory that it wants to reunite with the mainland - using military force if necessary.

Relations between Beijing and Taiwan are currently particularly tense: The Chinese government classifies the winner of the Taiwanese presidential election in January, Lai Ching-te, as a "separatist".

Death of Chinese sailors strains relations
Taiwan and China are also in dispute over an incident that took place in mid-February, when a Chinese speedboat with four passengers on board illegally entered Taiwanese waters, according to Taiwanese sources. During a subsequent chase with the Taiwanese coast guard, the boat capsized not far from the Kinmen Islands and all four passengers fell into the water. They were rescued and taken to hospital, where two of them were pronounced dead after unsuccessful attempts at resuscitation.

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

(Bild: AFP)

According to media reports, one survivor stated that the boat had been "rammed" - according to Taiwanese sources, the coast guard acted lawfully. The government in Beijing spoke of a "vicious incident" and announced increased patrols in the waters around Taiwan.

In Tuvalu, head of government Feleti Teo emphasized his country's "long-term and enduring special relationship" with Taiwan in a statement on his cabinet's priorities on Wednesday. Tuvalu, with a population of just 11,000, remains one of only twelve countries in the world to maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Tuvalu wants to strengthen relations with Taiwan
The new government said it wanted to "re-evaluate options" to "strengthen and improve" relations with Taiwan and build a "more durable and mutually beneficial relationship". The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry, for its part, stated that deputy chief diplomat Tien Chung-kwang would soon be traveling to Tuvalu with a delegation.

During the election campaign in Tuvalu, an experienced parliamentarian caused an international stir when he said that the island state could reconsider its relationship with Taiwan. As part of Beijing's so-called one-China policy, most countries in the world only officially recognize China. On the other hand, despite recognizing the People's Republic, the USA is a close ally of Taiwan and supplies the government in Taipei with weapons.