TAIPEI, Taiwan: Chinese officials seized a Taiwanese fishing boat near the Kinmen islands on Tuesday, further escalating tensions between the two nations.
The incident occurred near China’s coast close to the cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou. Taiwan’s coast guard reported that Chinese maritime administration boats boarded and took the vessel to a Chinese port.
In response, Taiwan dispatched its coast guard ships and issued warnings demanding the release of the fishing boat. However, China’s ships warned Taiwan not to interfere, prompting Taiwan’s ships to retreat to avoid conflict.
This seizure is part of China’s increasing pressure on Taiwan, which Beijing views as its territory. The Taiwan Affairs Office in China has not made any comment. This incident follows heightened maritime enforcement by China around Kinmen since February, after two Chinese fishermen died fleeing Taiwan’s coast guard.
