China condemns Taiwan’s death of two nationals in boat crash

China has condemned Taiwanese authorities after two Chinese citizens were killed in a boat accident during a pursuit by Taiwan’s coast guard on Wednesday.

Chinese and Taiwanese authorities said the Chinese vessel was carrying four people when it capsized near the Kinmen Islands, with everyone on board falling into the water.

“This vicious incident has seriously hurt the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said in a statement.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard said the speedboat “illegally (entered) Taiwanese waters,” Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported.

The Coast Guard “immediately requested the ship to be inspected, but the ship refused to be inspected and capsized as it sailed away,” Central News Agency said.

Zhu added that Beijing had urged Taiwan authorities to immediately investigate the incident.

All four people were rescued from the water and taken to hospital, the Central News Agency said.

“Both people were pronounced dead after resuscitation efforts failed,” the Coast Guard said.

“The other two are in stable condition and have been taken to Kinmen for further investigation by prosecutors,” the statement added.

The Kinmen Islands are controlled by Taiwan but are within visible range of the Chinese coast.

China claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory, but it has no sovereignty over the territory of 23 million people or its neighboring islands.

The incident occurred against the background of high tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan’s presidential election in January was won by Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, whom Beijing considers a “separatist”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly called for Taiwan’s reunification with China for more than 70 years, since the two sides split after the civil war in 1949.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – AFP)