China coast guard vessels intrude into waters around Kinmen again

Taipei, Oct. 29 (CNA) Four China Coast Guard vessels intruded into "restricted waters" near Taiwan's outlying Kinmen County on Tuesday, causing Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to issue warnings to their Chinese counterparts again and urge China to stop such harassment.

The intrusion, the 48th in waters off the Kinmen and Matsu islands this year, came from the vicinity of Fuxing Islet, Liaoluo Bay, Zhaishan and Beiding Island and on the heels of a similar incident the previous day, according to the CGA.

The CGA added that it sent four patrol vessels to shadow the intruders and broadcast warnings ordering the Chinese ships to leave until they left the area about two hours later.

The CGA criticized the China Coast Guard for disregarding public safety and willfully carrying out the incursions, noting that many civilian ships were sailing in strong winds brought by Typhoon Kong-rey in the Taiwan Strait.

The actions by the China Coast Guard undermined maritime safety and did not help cross-strait exchanges, the CGA said.

The CGA also urged China to stop such harassment as it undermines cross-strait peace, while vowing to continue to uphold Taiwan's maritime rights.

Due to the proximity of Kinmen County and Xiamen in China, Chinese territorial waters encompass all of Kinmen, leaving Taiwan with a compromise measure whereby it demarcates "prohibited" and "restricted" waters around the Kinmen Islands that extend 1,500 meters to 10,000 meters from the shores of the archipelago.

China's Coast Guard has frequently entered Taiwan-controlled waters near the Kinmen Islands since the fatal capsizing of an unnamed and unregistered Chinese speedboat on Feb. 14, according to the CGA.

The speedboat capsized in waters near Kinmen while being pursued by a CGA patrol vessel, leading to the deaths of two Chinese crew members.

China has since sent coast guard vessels into the Taiwan-controlled waters, claiming that it has the right to legally patrol the area.