TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) chased away four Chinese coast guard ships from Kinmen’s restricted waters on Tuesday (June 25).
At approximately 5 a.m., the CGA’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu branch detected Chinese coast guard ships gathering near Kinmen, CNA reported. They entered from the north of Beiding Island and south of Fuxing Islet at around 6 a.m.
The CGA deployed three patrol boats to intercept them. They monitored the intruding Chinese vessels and dispatched warnings, the administration said. After about two hours, the CGA expelled them from the area.
The administration said the intrusion into Taiwanese waters was intended to provoke. Such actions do not contribute to maintaining the sentiments between the people of Kinmen and Xiamen, nor do they benefit exchanges across the strait, it added.
The CGA urged China to recognize the importance of regional peace and stability and reiterated its commitment to firmly safeguard Taiwan’s maritime rights.
Tuesday’s intrusion follows two gray zone incidents instigated by China. On June 1, two Chinese coast guard ships were detected approaching Kinmen from Xiamen. They were chased away 40 minutes later.
On June 9, a Chinese national surnamed Ruan (阮) drove a speed boat into the Tamsui River Estuary before CGA personnel stopped and detained him. Ruan claimed he feared political persecution in China for comments made on online messaging apps. However, Ruan was identified as a former captain in the Chinese Navy.
Ruan remains in CGA custody and is accused of breaking the Immigration Act and the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.
