Taiwan reports incursion of 4 Chinese Coast Guard vessels into Kinmen Islands
Taipei, June 25 (EFE).– Taiwan denounced on Tuesday the incursion of four Chinese Coast Guard ships into the territorial waters of the Kinmen Islands, an archipelago under Taiwanese control located just a few kilometers from the Chinese coast.
The incident occurred around 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday when the Taiwan coast guard in Kinmen detected the presence of a flotilla of Chinese vessels in the vicinity, according to an official statement.
The Chinese Coast Guard ships split into two groups, each composed of two vessels, and navigated into Taiwan’s “restricted waters.”
Taiwan deployed three patrol boats to conduct surveillance operations, collect evidence, and issue warnings, the statement said.
The Taiwanese Coast Guard released several videos showing how island coast guards attempted to expel the Chinese vessels, sailing in close proximity and sending radio warnings.
According to the coast guard, this operation, which lasted for two hours, had a clear intention to “harass” the self-governed Taiwan but considered a “rebellious province” by China.
“This action does not help maintain the ties between the people of Kinmen and Xiamen (a city in southeast China) and does not benefit equitable exchange between the two sides of the strait,” the statement said, urging China to recognize the importance of regional peace and stability.
In recent months, the Taiwanese government has denounced the increasing activity of Chinese coast guards in its peripheral archipelagos, especially around the Kinmen Islands, one of the main points of tension between Taipei and Beijing.
According to Taiwan, between February and May, Chinese Coast Guard vessels invaded the “prohibited and restricted waters” of Kinmen an average of five times per month, claiming they had the right to patrol this area.
The Taiwanese Coast Guard’s Deputy Director General, Hsieh Ching-chin, said last week that the new regulation implemented by China, which allows its coast guards to board and detain vessels in waters it claims, “will not affect the law enforcement.” EFE
