Five Chinese coast guard ships entered restricted waters near Taiwan’s Kinmen islands on Monday, heightening tensions with Taiwan. The coast guard from China initiated routine patrols in the region earlier this month. These patrols follow an incident where two Chinese nationals attempted to escape Taiwan’s coast guard in prohibited waters, resulting in their unfortunate deaths.
Growing concerns surround the possibility of heightened tensions between China and Taiwan due to a recent maritime incident. Two Chinese individuals lost their lives in Taiwanese waters when their speed boat capsized last week. This incident has raised apprehensions about a potential escalation of hostilities.
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Adding to the unease, Chinese coastal patrol boats conducted operations in the waters near the Kinmen archipelago, an area considered part of Taiwanese territory and situated in close proximity to China. During these operations, a Taiwanese tour boat was boarded for inspection by the Chinese authorities. The Taiwanese government expressed that this boarding caused a state of “panic.”
On Wednesday, the Chinese government called on Taiwan to severely punish those responsible for the recent incident involving a capsized boat, meet the reasonable demands of the victims’ families, apologize to them, and provide an explanation. Beijing strongly condemned what it characterized as Taiwan’s brutal treatment of mainland fishermen and criticized Taiwan’s alleged “violent law enforcement” practices, accusing it of deliberately concealing the truth. Taiwan, in turn, denied these allegations.
Read More: Taiwan in Crisis: Chinese Coast Guard’s Move Sparks Panic
The Kinmen islands, under Taiwan’s control, are in close proximity to China. The recent entry of Chinese coast guard ships into prohibited or restricted waters raises concerns about regional stability. This development underscores the ongoing tensions between Taiwan and Beijing, with maritime issues serving as a focal point. The situation necessitates careful observation and diplomatic efforts to manage and mitigate potential escalations in the region.
Five Chinese coast guard ships entered restricted waters near Taiwan’s Kinmen islands on Monday, heightening tensions with Taiwan. The coast guard from China initiated routine patrols in the region earlier this month. These patrols follow an incident where two Chinese nationals attempted to escape Taiwan’s coast guard in prohibited waters, resulting in their unfortunate deaths. The Kinmen islands, under Taiwan’s control, are in close proximity to China. The recent entry of Chinese coast guard ships into prohibited or restricted waters raises concerns about regional stability. This development underscores the ongoing tensions between Taiwan and Beijing, with maritime issues serving as a focal point. The situation necessitates careful observation and diplomatic efforts to manage and mitigate potential escalations in the region.
Local governments in Kinmen and Matsu, both under the control of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), which advocates for closer ties with China, consistently expressed concerns to Chinese authorities, with limited impact, as stated by Lii.
KMT leader Eric Chu expressed support for the government’s law enforcement efforts and offered condolences for the deceased. He stressed the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) responsibility, as the ruling party, to reduce the risk of confrontation and actively pursue dialogue.
Read More: Taiwan and China Clash Over Kinmen Island Inspections
The KMT, endorsing closer ties, recognizes the significance of law enforcement while promoting engagement. In contrast, the DPP, facing the challenge of maintaining stability and diminishing confrontation risks, upholds its commitment to Taiwan’s sovereignty and distinct identity.
The deviation from established norms, combined with territorial disputes and divergent political stances, heightens the potential for increased confrontation between China and Taiwan.