On February 14, a Chinese speedboat capsized near Taiwan with four people on board (data map)
Taipei, Taiwan:
Taipei’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that 11 Chinese naval vessels had been spotted around Taiwan, the highest number so far this year, as a dispute between Taiwan and China over fishing vessel deaths continues.
On February 14, a Chinese speedboat with four people on board capsized while being pursued by the Taiwan Coast Guard near the Kinmen Islands in Taiwan. Everyone on board fell into the water.
Two of the crew members died and two others were rescued and temporarily detained in Kinmen. Kinmen is an area under the jurisdiction of Taipei, just five kilometers (three miles) from the Chinese city of Xiamen.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan as a self-governing island as part of its territory.
One survivor reportedly claimed the ship was “hit” after returning to the mainland, but Taiwan insisted the coast guard was following legal procedures.
China dispatched 15 warplanes, 11 naval ships and a balloon to the sea and skies around Taiwan in the 24 hours to 6:00 am on Wednesday (2200 GMT on Tuesday), Taiwan’s defense ministry said.
The Defense Ministry said at least 15 more Chinese fighter jets have since been spotted.
Taiwan’s official data showed that the number of Chinese naval vessels spotted in 24 hours was four to six more than usual, the highest level so far this year.
In December, 11 Chinese naval vessels were spotted near Taiwan on the eve of Taiwan’s January presidential election, which Lai won and which Beijing branded “separatists.”
On Monday, a Chinese coast guard ship and four Chinese coast guard ships briefly entered restricted areas or restricted waters around Kinmen, said Kuan Biling, director of Taiwan’s Maritime Affairs Commission, which oversees the coast guard.
Beijing accuses Taiwanese authorities of “seeking to evade responsibility and conceal the truth” over the February 14 incident, while Taiwan Coast Guard officials said the vessel involved “lost its balance and capsized” as it zigzagged while trying to evade patrols.
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