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TAIWAN AGAIN ASKS CHINA TO RECALL INTRUDING RESEARCH SHIP

Central News Agency

2005-05-26 22:22:24

    Taipei, May 26 (CNA) Taiwan demanded again Thursday the Chinese authorities recall a research vessel that has twice trespassed into Taiwan's exclusive economic zone since May 22.

    The quasi-official Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said the Fen Dou No. 4 of China's Ministry of Land and Natural Resources was trying to trespass into Taiwan's exclusive economic zone Thursday after briefly leaving Taiwan waters the previous day.

    In a message to its Chinese counterpart -- the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) -- the SEF said the Chinese authorities should recall the research vessel immediately to maintain peace and harmony across the Taiwan Strait.

    If the Fen Dou No. 4 intrudes into Taiwan's exclusive economic zone off its southwestern coast again, the SEF said, Taiwan's coast guard patrol vessels will chase the ship away.

    The vessel was first spotted operating in waters some 100 nautical miles off Taiwan's southwestern coast Sunday. The ship was believed to be surveying undersea petroleum reserves. It left Taiwan's exclusive economic zone only after the SEF twice sent messages to ARATS, but was spotted trying to enter Taiwan's exclusive economic zone again Thursday.

    It was the second time in less than a month that a Chinese survey ship had trespassed into Taiwan's exclusive economic zone for research or information-gathering purposes. The Tanbao, another Chinese research ship, made a similar incursion May 3.

    The Tanbao was surveying for petroleum and gas reserves beneath the waters surrounding the Tungsha (Pratas) Islands.

(By Sofia Wu)

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