Saudi security forces arrest 21,477 illegal residents in a week    Saudi Arabia delivers sacrificial meat to Egypt and Palestine    Sweden's Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia welcome baby girl    Sharifa Al-Sudairi makes historic debut at Asian Winter Games    Palestinian prisoners arrive in Ramallah under Gaza ceasefire deal    Trump revokes Biden's access to classified briefings    Wreckage of missing plane found in Alaska; all 10 aboard presumed dead    Trump vows to fire FBI agents involved in Jan. 6 investigations    Jaecoo J8 launches in Saudi Arabia, marking a new milestone in the Middle Eastern off-road market    Saudi Arabia opens Hajj 1446 registration for domestic pilgrims Priority given to those who have not performed Hajj before, with registration available via Nusuk app and e-portal    Ivan Toney's brace secures Al Ahli victory over Al Fateh in Saudi Pro League    Al Nassr reclaims third place with 3-0 victory over Al Fayha as Jhon Durán shines    Karim Benzema's last-gasp winner sends Al Ittihad to the top of Roshn Saudi League French striker seals dramatic 2-1 victory over Al Taawoun with stoppage-time strike    Salvador Dalí art comes to India for the first time    Crown Prince announces King Salman Automotive Cluster at KAEC    Saudi Arabia's population crosses 35 million, with non-Saudis constituting 44.4%    Heading into a new journey, JAECOO J8 is shaking up the luxury off-road market    GEA hosts mass wedding of 300 couples at "Night of a Lifetime" celebration during Riyadh Season 300 cars and housing as gifts for the newlyweds    Food Culture Festival kicks off in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter    Saudi Arabia to present 'The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection' at Biennale Architettura 2025 Syn Architects explore Riyadh's architectural heritage, fostering new pedagogical approaches and global dialogue    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



China ramps up patrols near Taiwan's outlying islands following death of Chinese fishermen
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 19 - 02 - 2024

China is increasing patrols in waters near a group of frontline islands controlled by Taiwan, as tensions rise after two Chinese fishermen drowned during a pursuit by Taiwan's coast guard who accused them of trespassing.
China's coast guard said Sunday its Fujian division will strengthen maritime law enforcement and carry out "regular patrols" in waters around the Chinese city of Xiamen and Taiwan's Kinmen islands, which lie just miles apart.
The move is aimed at "further maintaining the order of operations in the relevant waters and protecting the lives and property of fishermen," Gan Yu, a spokesperson for China's coast guard, said in a statement.
The patrols are likely to put Chinese coast guard vessels in closer proximity to their Taiwanese counterparts, potentially raising the risk of miscalculation and conflict.
The escalation came days after a Chinese speedboat capsized while attempting to flee from Taiwan's coast guard, which said it had trespassed to fish in waters about 1 nautical mile off Kinmen's coast.
Four crew members fell into the water. Two survived after being rescued by Taiwan's coast guard, while the other two were found unconscious and confirmed dead after being taken to the hospital in Kinmen.
Beijing has issued strongly-worded condemnations and blamed Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the deaths, claiming it had used "various excuses to forcefully seize mainland fishing boats and treat mainland fishermen roughly and dangerously."
"Such a vicious incident seriously hurt the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait" during the Lunar New Year holiday – a time for family reunions celebrated in both mainland China and Taiwan, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said on Thursday.
The Chinese Communist Party regards Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, as part of its territory, despite never having controlled it, and Chinese vessels are frequently active in the waters near Kinmen due to its geographical proximity to mainland China.
Taiwan authorities on Thursday expressed regret over the deaths, but maintained that its coast guard officers were acting on their mandates in accordance with the law.
On Saturday, China's Taiwan Affairs Office ramped up the rhetoric, saying the deaths had caused "strong indignation" in mainland China while denying Taiwan's designation of "restricted" waters near Kinmen.
"Fishermen on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have been operating in traditional fishing grounds in the Xiamen-Kinmen waters since ancient times, and there is no such thing as 'prohibited or restricted waters,'" it said in a statement.
The office also urged Taiwan authorities to release the two surviving fishermen from custody.
In a rebuttal, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said Sunday it will continue to enforce the law in waters it controls and expel or detain trespassing vessels.
It also denied Beijing's accusations of "rough expulsions," saying the unfortunate incident happened due to "constant intrusions" by ships that carry no name, have no certification or port registration, and the refusal to cooperate by crew members who made a dangerous move to flee.
The case is being investigated by prosecutors in Taiwan, the council added.
Kuan Bi-ling, Taiwan's Minister of Ocean Affairs Council, said the two surviving fishermen under Taiwan's custody were "being taken care of" and would "be repatriated soon as the case progresses."
Kuan added that Taiwan's coast guard had previously rescued mainland Chinese fishermen and cargo ships despite rising military and political tensions across the Taiwan Strait in recent years.
Over the past three years, 20 people from mainland China have been rescued by Taiwan's coast guard, according to Kuan.
China has increased economic, military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan and cut off most communications with Taipei since the DPP came to power in 2016.
In the preceding years, during the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang government's term, rescue teams from Taiwan and mainland China had held joint maritime drills to practice search and rescue operations in a sign of warming ties. — CNN


Clic here to read the story from its source.