Taiwan confirms joint maritime drill with Japan Coast Guard

Taipei, July 19 (CNA) Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) on Friday confirmed it conducted a joint maritime exercise with its Japanese counterpart the previous day to better ensure the safety of vessel navigation.

The drill with the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) in waters south of the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, was arranged under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association and the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association in 2017, the CGA told reporters.

The two associations were established to handle practical matters related to exchange and interactions between the two countries in the economic, trade and cultural areas in the absence of diplomatic ties.

According to Japanese media outlet The Yomiuri Shimbun, it was the first maritime exercise between the two coast guards since Japan and Taiwan severed diplomatic ties in 1972.

The CGA's Hsun Hu No. 9 and JCG Sagami patrol vessel simulated a maritime rescue operation, aimed at improving coordination through information sharing and adjusting search areas, according to media reports citing anonymous sources.

As China intensifies its maritime activities, Japan seems to be seeking cooperation with neighboring countries or regions, Japan's NHK reported.

However, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference Friday that the drills were "not aimed at any third country, including China."

Taiwan and Japan "have a framework for maritime cooperation, under which an MOU has been signed concerning maritime search and rescue cooperation, as well as the fight against smuggling and illegal border entry," he said.