By Yimou Lee and Fabian Hamacher
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan on Saturday alerted Chinese coast guard ships that entered its restricted waters near frontline islands close to China for the second straight day, as tensions simmer in the sensitive Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan’s coast guard said four Chinese coast guard vessels on Saturday morning entered the restricted waters of the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen Islands, which hug the Chinese coast. The Chinese boats remained just over an hour after Taiwanese authorities asked them to leave.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its territory despite the island’s strong objections. It has stepped up military activities near Taiwan in recent years, with almost daily incursions into air defense identification zones.
“You have entered our country’s restricted waters. Please turn around immediately,” a Taiwanese official said via radio in a message broadcast to their Chinese counterparts, according to footage released Saturday by Taiwan’s coast guard.
The footage shows a Taiwanese coast guard boat tracking the movement of two Chinese ships a short distance away.
“The move had a serious impact on traffic and safety. To avoid triggering vessel accidents we urge them to stop such behavior,” Taiwan’s coast guard said in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from the Chinese coast guard, which has no contact details available to the public.
The Chinese Coast Guard also conducted patrols near the Kinmen Islands on Friday, with four Chinese Coast Guard boats being alerted by their Taiwanese counterparts, according to Taiwan’s official Central News Agency.
Last month, the Chinese coast guard began regular patrols around Kinmen after two Chinese citizens died while trying to escape from Taiwan’s coast guard after their vessel entered prohibited waters.
Taiwan sent coast guard boats Thursday to join a rescue mission at China’s request after a Chinese fishing vessel capsized near the Kinmen Islands. The Taiwanese government has highlighted the importance of cooperation between Taiwan and China amid rising tensions.
On Friday, Taiwan also sent several boats at China’s request to help search for a Chinese fisherman who fell overboard near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands at the northern end of the Taiwan Strait.
A senior Taiwanese security official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters that Beijing was sending “confusing” messages by continuing its harassment of Taiwan, while also asking for Taipei’s assistance in deal with maritime accidents.
The official said the Chinese coast guard’s latest moves in Kinmen “do not pose substantial security threats” but complicate the situation there.
“We are in the dark,” the official said. “Yesterday we tried to save their fishermen and today they show their teeth and claws.”
Last week, China’s top political body urged Taiwan’s giant neighbor not to change the “status quo” in waters near Kinmen by sending coast guard boats to restricted areas.