Coastguard Pursuit Results in Fatalities for Two Chinese Fishermen in Taiwan's Waters

Two Chinese fishermen drowned while being chased by the Taiwanese coastguard off Taiwan's northernmost Kinmen archipelago. The incident occurred on Wednesday when the fishing boat trespassed into Taiwanese waters. The authorities attempted to inspect the boat, but the fishermen resisted, leading to the capsizing of the vessel during the pursuit. Beijing has strongly condemned the incident, stating that it has hurt the sentiments of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Located just 3km away from China's southeastern coast, Kinmen has become a hot spot for tensions between China and Taiwan. The self-ruled island of Taiwan is considered by China as a breakaway province that it hopes to assimilate. The incident occurred amidst increased sightings of Chinese dredging vessels in Kinmen's vicinity, causing concern among its residents. Out of the four individuals onboard the Chinese boat, two were declared dead at the hospital, while the other two are in stable condition and are being further investigated by prosecutors in Kinmen. This incident comes at a time when tensions between both sides are escalating, with China perceiving Taiwan's newly-elected president as a separatist. China's Taiwan Affairs Office has called for an investigation into the incident by Taiwanese authorities and has demanded assistance for the victims' families. A spokeswoman for the office accused Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party of forcefully seizing Chinese fishing vessels and using violent methods against Chinese fishermen. She emphasized that China considers communities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait as part of one family and has worked towards facilitating normal operations for fishermen from both sides.