Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday said the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) chairmanship campaign had influenced the territorial dispute with Japan, citing the presence of opposition lawmakers on the naval vessel that traveled near disputed waters.
"Some of the people who boarded the frigate did so out of concern for the fishermen, but some of them are doing it instead for their own campaigns," he said. "This fishing dispute is a complicated issue and the government can't take rash actions that might lead us to become an international laughingstock."
"The government is dedicated to protecting our fishermen, but we have to be meticulous with every step that we take," he added.
Hsieh said he disapproved of certain politicians riling the public over the fishing dispute, and said that international law was the basis for a resolution to the issue.
"I suggested to our fishermen that they could install a Global Positioning System on their boats, which might help them to confirm their location at sea," he said.
Hsieh said that the government would do its utmost to protect the rights and interests of the fishermen and to protect the country's sovereign territory, adding that the entire affair may attract international attention and therefore give the government more leverage in negotiations.
However, he said, emotional remarks would not be helpful in settling disagreements with Tokyo.
Coast Guard Administration Minister Shi Hwei-yow (許惠祐) yesterday said that protecting fishermen was the coast guard's task, and that the Ministry of National Defense should play only an assisting role. He said the roles of the two agencies were clear cut.
Hsu said the coast guard would establish a task force during the fishing season to deal with such matters and would also beef up patrols around disputed waters.
Democratic Progressive Party Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) criticized Wang and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) for "taking advantage" of the fishing row to enhance their credibility as candidates for the KMT chairmanship.
Lee slammed Wang for misusing the office of legislative speaker and forcing the defense ministry to dispatch a naval vessel to boost his campaign.
He also said that Ma had disregarded Taiwan's strategic interests by saying that it is worth being more aggressive toward Japan if necessary.
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