The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) today accused the China Coast Guard of “routine harassment” and illegally entering the waters around Kinmen County.
The China Coast Guard yesterday sent four vessels near Kinmen, with the CGA dispatching four of its own ships to drive them away, it said.
On Sina Weibo, the China Coast Guard said it was conducting “routine law enforcement patrols” in the area, the agency said, calling the characterization inconsistent with the facts.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
The four Chinese vessels with hull numbers “14602,” “14605,” “14515” and “14608” simultaneously entered the waters southeast of Liaoluo (料羅) yesterday at 2:55pm, it said.
The CGA dispatched four of its own vessels, which began to broadcast warnings in English and Chinese until they left the area at about 5pm, it added.
The China Coast Guard began to conduct these types of “patrols” in the area in February last year following an incident near Kinmen, the CGA said.
That incident saw a Chinese boat capsize while trying to flee from the CGA, leading to the drowning of two Chinese nationals.
In the past year, the China Coast Guard has illegally entered the waters near Kinmen 60 times, averaging four instances per month, with each time lasting about two hours, the CGA said.
Looking at the pattern, it is clear that this is “routine harassment” rather than law enforcement patrols, the agency said, adding that such activity undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
It vowed to continue to enforce laws, monitor Chinese vessels entering Taiwan’s waters, deploy ships in advance and publish videos from incidents to dispel misinformation.
The announcement comes a day after the CGA detained a Chinese-crewed ship suspected of severing an undersea telecommunications cable connecting Taiwan proper to Penghu County.
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