Taiwan Urges China to Release Seized Fishing Boat, Crew

Facts

• Taiwanese officials urged Beijing on Wednesday to release the seized Taiwan-registered fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 and its detained crew as soon as possible.¹
• The boat and its five crew members were escorted to a port in the province of Fujian on Tuesday night after the Chinese coast guard inspected the vessel sailing in Chinese territorial waters just off the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen Islands.²
• According to Beijing, the Da Jin Man No. 88 was found in violation of a summer fishing ban and engaging in illegal trawling operations, adding that its fishing gear had nets smaller than the minimum regulated mesh size.³
• A spokesperson for China's State Council Taiwan Affairs Office further said that the seizure was a routine law enforcement operation and that Chinese authorities would deal with the case 'in accordance with the law.'⁴
• This is reportedly the 17th time that China, which claims Taiwan as part of its own territory, has seized a Taiwan-registered vessel for illegal summer fishing over the two past decades. Meanwhile, Taiwan has detained five Chinese boats so far this year.⁵
• Tensions have been mounting in waters around Kinmen and other outer Taiwan-controlled islands since February, with Beijing increasing patrols after two Chinese fishermen drowned while being chased by Taiwan's coast guard for alleged trespassing.⁶

Sources: ¹Focus Taiwan, ²NHK, ³Chinadaily.com.cn, ⁴XINHUA, ⁵BBC News and ⁶CNN.

Narratives

• Anti-China narrative, as provided by Taipei Times. This latest boat seizure is proof that China's new regulations allowing its coast guard to board and seize vessels even in disputed waters, which came into force last month, were designed to escalate harassment on foreign vessels. Now more than ever, fishing vessels and others passing nearby must be extra cautious.
• Pro-China narrative, as provided by Global Times. Let alone that China has the right to practice sovereignty and enforce its seasonal fishing ban on both sides of the Straits, even Taiwanese authorities have confirmed that the incident took place in mainland waters. This boat seizure was normal law enforcement to protect the ecological environment and marine fishery resources.

Predictions