TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Statebuilding Party (TSP) politicians on Tuesday (Nov. 14) urged the government to keep a closer eye on Taiwanese fishing vessels after one was found to be equipped with China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), which is prohibited in Taiwan.

Huang Hsin-ying (黃馨瑩), a TSP non-constituency legislative candidate, said that Taiwanese fishing vessels have become targets of China's united front strategy, CNA reported. Beijing not only exploits these vessels to carry out criminal activities but also aims to use BDSs installed on these boats to survey Taiwan's military facilities, Huang said.

Huang raised concerns about the potential exposure of where military assets are deployed if these fishing vessels are equipped with the BDS. Therefore, the Fisheries Agency and the National Communications Commission should thoroughly investigate this matter, she said.

TSP Chair Wang Hsin-huan (王興煥) said that in recent years, China has aimed to counterbalance European and American navigation systems with the BDS, developing military capabilities to monitor and infiltrate and pose a threat to democratic nations.

During wartime, Taiwan’s fishing vessels equipped with BDS could seriously impact overall military readiness, posing significant national security concerns, Wang said.

The TSP called on the Kaohsiung City government, to inspect communication equipment on fishing vessels and assist fishermen to purchase secure communication devices while replacing outdated ones.