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Taiwan, Japan deadlocked over fishing vessel

Taiwanese and Japanese coast guards are caught in a stand-off in the waters north of Keelung over the fate of a Taiwan-ese fishing boat suspected of intruding into Japanese waters, while authorities are trying to find a diplomatic way out of the stalemate.

According to a press statement issued by Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration yesterday, it was planning to escort the local fishing vessel back to land, but their Japanese counterparts insisted on detaining the boat and its crew.

"The authorities are currently negotiating the matter with their Japanese counterparts. Meanwhile, the [Taiwanese and Japanese] coast guards' boats remain at the site awaiting the results of the negotiations," the CGA said.

The stalemate continued as of press time.

According to the CGA, it received information at 6:25am on Thursday that several Japanese coast guard vessels had pursued a Taiwanese fishing boat, Fuhsiang No. 16, from Japan to the waters near Keelung. The CGA immediately dispatched its Ho Hsing ship to rescue the boat.

Ho Hsing was able to reach the Taiwanese fishing boat at 9:30pm on the same day, but found it surrounded by three Japanese coast guard boats and two helicopters.

The CGA said that the Japan-ese coast guards attempted to board the fishing boat, shooting paint balls at the fishing vessel and spraying it with water. Another six CGA boats then arrived at the site.

Meanwhile, Hsu Kun-ming (許昆明), the captain of a Taiwanese fishing boat operating near the area, said yesterday that he was able talk to Chien Hsien-wen (簡賢文), the captain of Fuhsiang No. 16, by radio, according to a report by the Chinese-language United Evening News.

Hsu said that Chien insisted he had not intruded into Japanese waters. He added that Chien said he was sad and tired as he had not been able to eat and sleep all day owing to the relentless pursuit by the Japanese coast guards.
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