Last month, two Chinese fishers died after their boat capsized while fleeing Taiwanese coast guard personnel, who were expelling the unflagged vessel from the nation’s restricted waters around Kinmen. The incident set off a series of testy maritime encounters, with the China Coast Guard a week later boarding a Taiwanese cruise ship near the outlying county, as Beijing sought to flex its claims over the waterway. The row heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait, which analysts warned could lead to armed conflict.
Most people reading the above would probably not think twice about this characterization. Indeed, portions were lifted directly from the Wall Street Journal’s Feb. 21 article about the incident, including “set off a series of testy maritime encounters” and a warning about the “potential for armed conflict.”
Most people who are not steeped in the Taiwanese news cycle only encounter occasional news about “heightening tensions in the Taiwan Strait,” with snappy headlines including terminology such as “frictions flare” — also from the Wall Street Journal piece — leading most to believe that armed conflict is imminent and inevitable. It is exactly this kind of incident that many fear could escalate, making it perfect fodder for the international news carousel.
There is no denying that the news is significant, but it is not significant for the reasons assumed. On the contrary, most Taiwan-based experts were confident that it would not escalate into armed conflict. Tamkang University Graduate Institute of China Studies associate professor Chang Wu-yueh (張五岳) said there is a long-term understanding among those operating near Kinmen due to its proximity to China, and too many incentives for cross-strait development with China’s Xiamen to jeopardize. In addition, since the incident involved civilians and the coast guard rather than naval forces, the situation would be unlikely to escalate to military matters.
The reality of life around Kinmen is more nuanced than a headline would suggest. Since this initial incident last month, stories of rescues and tensions have become commonplace. Fishers both Chinese and Taiwanese sail constantly in the narrow band of sea, making boundary crossings a daily reality.
The incident has also brought to light often overlooked stories of cross-strait cooperation. Earlier this month, Taiwan’s coast guard joined China Coast Guard vessels in searching for the crew of a Chinese boat that capsized near Kinmen. A day later, it joined another search for a Chinese fisher who fell overboard near Lienchiang County. Just last week, China rescued two Taiwanese fishers who got into similar difficulties, although one, who is apparently an active-duty soldier, is still being held for allegedly “intentionally fabricating information about his occupation.”
Rather than a clear-cut story of rising tensions, increased media attention on Kinmen and other Taiwanese islands near China is offering a more holistic picture of the complexity of cross-strait relations on the front lines. The two sides can work together to rescue an angler in peril while at the same time squabbling over territory and sovereignty.
The real “escalation” in cross-strait relations refers not to the potential for military conflict, but to subtle changes in rhetoric and territorial boundaries. It is not in Beijing’s interest to call in the navy over these two fishers, but it does provide the perfect excuse to salami slice away at Taiwan’s control over its restricted zone around Kinmen.
Before long, the news cycle will move on and people will no longer be paying such close attention to the seas off China’s Fujian coast, but it can be assured that China will be sailing its ships just that little bit closer than before. For a properly even-keeled and nuanced view of cross-strait “tensions,” it is crucial to keep centering Taiwanese voices rather than only reading the headlines.
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