Taiwan's Coast Guard expels two Chinese boats from its waters
Synopsis
Taiwan's Coast Guard expelled two Chinese fishing boats from its waters near the Pratas Islands. One boat, the Jin Sha, refused to leave and was sprayed with a water cannon before being towed out of the restricted area by a patrol vessel.
Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said it expelled two Chinese fishing boats after they entered Taiwan-controlled waters near the Pratas Islands, according to the Taipei Times.
Confrontation at Sea
The Taipei Times reported that the incident began around 11am on Thursday, when an unidentified boat was detected about 15.5 nautical miles northeast of Pratas Island, around 5.5 nautical miles inside Taiwan’s prohibited waters. According to the report, the CGA dispatched its Yunlin patrol vessel to the area.
At around 3pm, the vessel located two Chinese fishing boats, the Yue Hui Dong Yu 75066 and the Jin Sha, about 27 nautical miles east of Pratas Island, or approximately eight nautical miles inside restricted waters. The Taipei Times said Yunlin repeatedly warned the vessels and ordered them to leave. While the Yue Hui Dong Yu sailed away, the Jin Sha refused to comply.
After three unsuccessful attempts to make the vessel leave, the coast guard used a water cannon for 30 seconds from about 200 metres away, in accordance with its procedures, the Taipei Times reported. When this failed, the Yunlin gradually approached the vessel and sprayed water at it for another 90 seconds. The CGA said the use of low-lethality measures was consistent with its standard operating procedures for removing vessels from Taiwan-controlled waters, according to the Taipei Times.
Resolution and Broader Context
The coast guard later provided 35 hot meals to the Jin Sha crew at their request. It then towed the vessel out of the restricted waters and handed it over to a Chinese work vessel early the following morning, the Taipei Times reported.
The incident highlights continuing maritime tensions between Taiwan and China. The episode has drawn attention to Taiwan’s efforts to enforce its maritime boundaries amid concerns over unauthorized Chinese activity. The incident also underscores the broader tensions surrounding Chinese maritime operations near Taiwan-controlled territories. (ANI)