China inspecting Taiwanese ‘tour’ boat triggered ‘panic,’ says Taipei

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – China’s Coast Guard inspected a Taiwanese “tour” boat which triggered “panic” on the island nation, said a minister in Taipei on Tuesday.

“Boarding of the Taiwanese vessel by the Chinese Coast Guard caused people to panic, and was not in line with people's interests,” said Kuan Bi-ling, Taiwan’s minister for Ocean Affairs Council.

At least six Chinese Coast Guard officers boarded the sightseeing ship "King Xia” on Monday afternoon (local time) in waters around Taipei-controlled Kinmen Islands when it “strayed near Chinese territorial waters,” the Taiwan News website reported.

China claims jurisdiction over the whole Taiwan Strait but Taipei remains in control of several islets in the waterway.

The incident came after China last week accused Taiwan’s Coast Guard of “driving away a fishing boat” – carrying four people -- that capsized and resulted in the death of two people.

Red Cross Society officials from China’s southern Quanzhou city Tuesday accompanied the families of the four people to Kinmen islands for the return of the two surviving crew members.

Several Chinese patrol boats were seen off Kinmen Island following the incident as China said on Sunday that it would "strengthen" law enforcement patrols in waters near Taiwan.

According to Taiwan’s Coast Guard, the six Chinese Coast Guard officers were aboard the sightseeing ship for around 32 minutes, checking.

After inspecting King Xia, examining its navigation plan, ship documents, captain and crew licenses, and obtaining the captain's signature, the Chinese personnel disembarked at 5.19 p.m. (0919GMT).

They inspected King Xia, its navigation plan, documents, captain, and crew licenses and also obtained the ship captain's signature, said the Taiwanese Coast Guard.

China has yet to make any statement on the incident.

“The incident was regrettable,” Minister Kuan said in Taipei, stressing Taiwanese vessels “need not stop for Chinese Coast Guard ships and should instead contact” the Ocean Affairs Council for assistance.

The Defense Ministry in Taipei said it detected 24 Chinese aircraft and eight naval vessels operating around Taiwan.

It added: "11 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwestern air defense identification zone (ADIZ)."

China considers Taiwan its "breakaway province," and does not recognize the median line nor ADIZ, while Taipei has insisted on its independence since 1949.