Taiwan PM hopes 'both sides' act rationally amid tensions with Beijing

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Feb 2024 09:19

Taiwanese Premier Chen Chien-jen says in a press brief that he hopes Taiwan and China could "cooperate" given that both have been aware of the "restricted and off-limits sea areas" since 1992.

Handout photograph provided by Taiwan Coast Guard Administration, Taiwanese coast guards inspect a vessel that capsized during a chase off the coast of Kinmen archipelago in Taiwan, February 14, 2024. (AP)

Following China's Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu announcement, on Sunday, that regular law enforcement patrols will be conducted in the waters near the Kinmen Islands, administered by Taiwan, following a recent deadly incident involving fishermen in the area, Taiwan urged Beijing to be "rational".

On Tuesday, Taiwan's Premier Chen Chien-jen, in a press brief outside Taiwan's parliament, said that since 1992, both Beijing and Taiwan had been cognizant of "restricted and off-limits sea areas," adding that the two have "exercised their relevant law enforcement based on these boundaries."

Moreover, the Prime Minister stressed, "We will continue to protect these sea areas to ensure safety in our territorial waters and the rights of our fishermen," and stated that "we hope both sides can be rational, equitable and cooperate with each other to ensure the safety of the Kinmen-Xiamen waters so that the people from both sides of the strait can engage with each other in a healthy and orderly manner."

China to regularly patrol near Taiwan islands after deadly incident

On February 14, a fishing boat from the southern Chinese province of Fujian was forced to leave the waters near Kinmen, resulting in all four crew members being thrown into the sea. The Taiwanese coast guard rescued all the fishermen, who were subsequently hospitalized. Unfortunately, two of them succumbed to their injuries. The remaining two fishermen are in stable condition and are staying on Kinmen as authorities continue to investigate the incident.

The Chinese Coast Guard in Fujian province plans to enhance maritime law enforcement and carry out routine patrols to "safeguard order in the pertinent maritime regions and guarantee the safety of fishing crews' lives and property," as stated by Gan on WeChat.

The Kinmen Islands, situated approximately 6.2 miles east of Xiamen in China's Fujian Province, are under the administration of Taiwan.

Since 1949, Taiwan has been self-governed apart from mainland China. Beijing sees Taiwan as a part of its territory, whereas Taiwan, with its own elected government, asserts its autonomy without formally declaring independence. Beijing opposes foreign nations establishing official ties with Taipei and asserts indisputable Chinese sovereignty over the island.

The South China Sea dispute has been ongoing for several years, with multiple countries, namely China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, all fighting for sovereignty in the maritime region.

60 percent of maritime trade passes through Asia, with the South China Sea carrying an estimated one-third of global shipping. Most recently, US and Western-affiliated naval ships have been crossing the area as part of the ongoing provocations against China.

Beijing had always wanted to formally settle the dispute with the countries involved, but some countries sought to resort to third parties to do so.

In recent months, since the US began to further stir up geopolitical tensions in the region, China has begun to adopt a more defensive stance by building artificial islands and deploying coast guard and maritime patrols.