Coast guard escorts fishing boat near Tiaoyutais
ROC Central News Agency
2012/07/04 18:56:54
Taipei, July 4 (CNA) Taiwan's coast guard said Wednesday it prevented Japanese authorities from boarding a Taiwan fishing boat near the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands in the East China Sea earlier in the day.
Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said it dispatched five vessels to escort the fishing boat, which was approached by three Japanese coast guard boats as it drew to within 1.6 nautical miles of the islands at about 8:25 a.m.
The Japanese authorities asked to board and inspect the fishing boat, but the Taiwan coast guard prevented such action and provided escort for the fishing boat until it departed the area at 9:02 a.m., the CGA said.
The fishing boat, which left from Shenao port in New Taipei City on Tuesday night, was carrying nine people -- six sailors and three members of Chung Hwa Baodiao Alliance, the CGA said.
Among them was the alliance’s chief executive director Huang Hsi-lin, according to CGA Vice Minister Wang Chung-yi.
The alliance is an organization that supports Taiwan's claim of sovereignty over the Tiaoyutai Islands by sailing to the area in fishing boats on an annual basis.
The CGA said it will protect Taiwan's sovereignty and its fishing boats and maintain a "no conflict and no avoidance" policy in the Tiaoyutai Islands, which are also claimed by China and Japan.
(By Liu Chien-bang and C.J. Lin)
ENDITEM /pc
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