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Koh in scrap with unification activist

A member of the Hong Kong-based Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyutai islands burns a Japanese flag in front of the Japanese Interchange Association in Taipei yesterday to protest the collision of a Taiwanese fishing boat and Japanese patrol vessel off the islands last week. PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday expressed regret after outgoing representative to Japan Koh Se-kai (許世楷) was struck by a protester, saying the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was partly responsible for the incident.

A man who claimed to be a member of the pro-unification Patriot Association (愛國同心會) elbowed Koh outside the building where former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has his office.

Koh visited Chen yesterday afternoon after the envoy was recalled on Saturday by the KMT administration over a dispute with Japan concerning a boat collision near the Diaoyutai islands.

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said on Tuesday that he would accept Koh’s resignation.

Koh was appointed by Chen.

Staff at Koh and Chen’s offices declined yesterday to say what they had discussed.

DPP spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) said Koh had received high praise both in Japan and Taiwan for his performance. Cheng urged the administration to map out a detailed plan to handle diplomatic incidents like the collision near the Diaoyutais to protect national interests.

KMT legislators had called Koh a traitor and other humiliating words that incited the hostility of die-hard unification advocates, he said, adding that the assault on Koh could have been avoided.

In related news, the DPP released survey results yesterday saying that the majority of voters were dissatisfied with the government’s handling of the Diaoyutai incident.

Chen Chun-lin (陳俊麟), director of the DPP’s Public Opinion Survey Center, said more than 80 percent of those polled said they were in favor of dealing with the dispute in a peaceful manner, while 15 percent said they were against peaceful means.

Lin Chen-wei (林成蔚), director of the DPP’s Department of International Affairs, said the nation’s relations with Japan had been optimal during the past eight years, adding that Koh’s departure was bound to affect Tokyo’s understanding of Taipei.

Meanwhile, former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), who just returned from Japan, yesterday spoke out against Chinese meddling in Taiwan’s dispute with Japan.

She called on the Ma administration to map out a comprehensive plan to deal with the problem in the future, including formulating a maritime policy, establishing a maritime affairs ministry and passing a basic maritime law. adding that Ma is an expert in maritime law.

Lu made the remarks in Kaohsiung. Lu defended Koh and said those who had called him a traitor had gone too far, as Koh had done his best to negotiate with Tokyo over the incident.

Lu said that although some had suggested that the government ask China to step in on its behalf over the territorial dispute with Japan, this kind of strategy would only undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty by leading the international community to think Taiwan is part of China.

At a separate setting, Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) said the military and coast guard would protect fishing vessels whenever necessary.

The minister made the remark during a meeting of the legislature’s Diplomacy and National Defense Committee yesterday. He said the ministry would consider allotting battle ships to the coast guard as most of the coast guard’s ships are old.

Coast Guard Administration Director-General Wang Chin-wang (王進旺) said the owner of the fishing boat that sank on Tuesday last week would be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000 (US$5,000).

Tourism fishing boats must stay within 24 nautical miles (44.4km) of the coast.

“Obviously the boat had crossed that line when the incident took place,” Wang said.

The Coast Guard will finish its evaluation of the situation and submit a report to the Council of Agriculture, he said.
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