Taiwan Coast Guard expels Chinese ship from Kinmen restricted waters

Taipei, March 13 (CNA) Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said on Thursday that it expelled a Chinese vessel suspected of conducting underwater surveying operations from restricted and prohibited waters around Taiwan's outlying Kinmen County the previous day.

The CGA dispatched two vessels after radar systems detected Chinese research boat "Yanping No. 2" entering "restricted waters" 2.6 nautical miles northwest of Kinmen County's Dongding Island, the southernmost island of the county, at 1:01 p.m., according to a news release from the CGA's Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch.

The Chinese vessel entered "prohibited waters" at 1:10 p.m., according to a graphic released by the CGA.

The coast guard said that patrol vessel personnel discovered around 3 p.m. that the Chinese vessel had "dropped detector equipment into the water," which led them to suspect the boat was conducting underwater surveying.

The Chinese vessel responded in a cooperative manner to a CGA demand to retrieve its equipment, according to the administration.

The coast guard vessels -- two 35-ton patrol boats identified by their serial numbers PP-3552 and PP-3520 -- expelled the Chinese ship out of "prohibited waters" at 3:20 p.m. and out of "restricted waters" at 3:52 p.m., the CGA said.

In its news release, the CGA said it is possible the Chinese vessel had "strategic intentions" -- a reference to China's frequently-stated intention to annex Taiwan, using military force if necessary.

"Under the pretense of scientific research, [Chinese vessels] actually carry out operations to familiarize themselves with the battlefield environment, in order to serve as a reference for future military action," the CGA news release said.

"The Coast Guard Administration strongly condemns China for intruding into our country's waters with scientific research vessels and survey ships," it said.

The CGA added that it would "closely monitor the movements of Chinese government vessels" and "forcefully drive them away" if necessary to "defend national sovereignty and ensure our country's maritime rights and interests."

Under Article 32 of the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, Taiwanese authorities are authorized to drive away or seize vessels and cargoes, detain crew, or take "any necessary defensive action" in relation to Chinese vessels that enter "restricted or prohibited waters" without permission.