The incident occurred after four mainland China coast guard vessels were patrolling waters just five nautical miles from Taiwan’s defense base, according to Taiwan’s coast guard.
The ministry said the vessels entered the restricted waters at about 6 a.m. on Tuesday, with two approaching from north of Beiding Island and the other two entering the waters south of Fuxing Island.
Taiwan’s coast guard dispatched three patrol boats to monitor mainland Chinese shipping and issued radio warnings to Chinese vessels to leave.
The standoff continued for two hours before the mainland Chinese vessel left the area at around 8 a.m.
Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo said mainland Chinese vessels were attempting to challenge Taiwan’s boundary claims around the island of Kinmen.
Taiwan’s coast guard said in a statement that the actions of its mainland counterpart “do not contribute to maintaining relations between Kinmen and Xiamen, nor do they enhance regional stability.”
In response, mainland China’s coast guard insisted its actions were “lawful”.
“Since June, the Fujian Coast Guard has formed a fleet and continuously stepped up law enforcement patrols in the waters around Kinmen Island, further strengthening control over relevant waters,” mainland China’s coast guard said in a statement.
The ministry said the patrols effectively safeguard the legitimate rights, interests and safety of fishermen, including Taiwanese people.
The Chinese government considers Taiwan to be part of its territory and believes it should be integrated into mainland China, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognize Taiwan’s independence and oppose unilateral changes to the status quo through force.
