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Amber Wang

A collision between a mainland Chinese fishing boat and a Taiwanese warship in the Taiwan Strait has become the latest source of cross-strait tensions, prompting Beijing to accuse Taipei of “malicious actions”.
The tank-landing ship Chung Ho collided with the fishing vessel Min Lien Yu at around 12.40am on Thursday about 45 nautical miles (83km) from the port of Taichung in central Taiwan, the island’s naval fleet command said later that day.
The Chung Ho, which was commissioned in the 1990s, weighs around 5,100 tonnes, while the fishing boat is believed to weigh around 300 tonnes.
The location was on the Taiwanese side of the median line, a de facto dividing line that Beijing has increasingly sought to dismiss as meaningless.
No injuries were reported, but the incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Last week, the People’s Liberation Army launched a military exercise after Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te described the mainland as a “foreign hostile force”, his most forceful rhetoric yet. Lai also announced 17 new security measures, citing threats from the mainland.
“The [mainland] Taiwan Affairs Office condemns the malicious behaviour of the Chung Ho ship and will investigate the incident,” TAO spokesman Chen Binhua said in response to a query from Taiwan’s Central News Agency.
Chen said the fishing boat from Fujian province had been “operating normally” and had been damaged in the incident. He added that the office would be investigating.
The Taiwanese navy said its ship had also sustained unspecified damage, but this did not compromise its navigational safety.
It also said two patrol vessels had been sent to the scene to collect evidence and carry out further investigations.
The Taiwanese navy said its ship had also sustained unspecified damage, but this did not compromise its navigational safety.
It also said two patrols vessels had been sent to the scene to collect evidence and carry out further investigations.
Collisions between mainland Chinese fishing boats and Taiwanese warships are rare, but other maritime incidents have led to a spike in tensions.
In February last year, two mainland fishermen died after being chased by Taiwan’s coastguard off the coast of the Quemoy archipelago, which is also known as Kinmen. The islands, which are controlled by Taipei, lie just a few kilometres away from the mainland.
Since then, mainland China’s coastguard has carried out regular patrols in the area.
In the most recent development the Taiwanese coastguard seized a mainland vessel which had entered restricted waters off the northwest of the island. Taipei has defined the restricted area as extending 24 nautical miles from the coast.
Six crew members were taken in for questioning and the island’s coastguard said it suspected the ship was fuelling other mainland vessels operating illegally in the area.


Former Taiwanese naval lieutenant commander Lu Li-shih said it was “perfectly reasonable” for ships to be fishing outside the restricted area, adding: “It’s unlikely that a single fishing vessel would be engaged in surveillance.”
He also added that while the mainland fishing vessel violated navigation regulations by not turning on its lights, in practice, it was common for vessels to sail without lights to save fuel.
He also doubted the matter would escalate further. “There’s no need for Taiwan to raise hostility towards the mainland over this, as this could lead to an escalation from the mainland side,” Lu added.
Hu Bo, director of the Centre for Maritime Strategy Studies at Peking University, also said mainland vessels commonly operated in the area.
Taiwanese Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Friday that despite local media reports it was “highly unlikely” that a single mainland fishing vessel could have conducted surveillance and gathered intelligence on Taiwan’s military activities.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory that must be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. Most countries, including Taiwan’s main international supporter the United States, do not recognise it as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempt to take the island by force and is legally bound to arm the island to help it defend itself.


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The tank-landing ship Chung Ho which was involved in the collision. Photo: Handout

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Military

No injuries were reported but the nighttime incident comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait


No injuries were reported but the nighttime incident comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
