Coast guard vessels from Taiwan and Japan yesterday briefly sparred near the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) in the East China Sea.
The argument via wireless communications came roughly a week after the two sides clashed using water cannons on Sept. 25.
The spat happened at around 8am when the Lienchiang Coast Guard Administration patrol vessel was protecting two Taiwanese fishing boats in waters about 20 nautical miles (37km) off the Diaoyutais, Coast Guard Administration Deputy Secretary-General Wang Chung-yi (王崇儀) said.
Japan’s coast guard started the exchange by instructing the Taiwanese ships to leave, claiming they had entered Japan’s territorial waters, Wang said during a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee.
In response, crew members aboard the 500-tonne Lienjiang told their Japanese counterparts via wireless communications that the area is an exclusive economic zone that belongs to Taiwan and they were there to protect Taiwanese fishermen, Wang said.
Wang said Taiwanese and Japanese coast guard vessels had remained in the area to monitor the situation, but neither side had taken any confrontational action.
Japanese news media also reported the incident, saying a Taiwanese coast guard vessel had rejected the demand to leave the waters near the Diaoyutais via wireless communication.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS