TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Four Chinese coast guard ships that entered restricted waters off the outlying island of Kinmen Friday (March 15) showed up again for one hour on Saturday (March 16) morning, according to the Coast Guard Administration (CGA).
Tension around Taiwan’s offshore islands has been rising since an unregistered Chinese speedboat capsized near Kinmen on Feb. 14, leaving two crew members dead. China later claimed there was no such thing as Taiwan's prohibited waters.
During Saturday morning’s incident, the CGA broadcast a warning, forcing the Chinese ships to leave the area after one hour, per CNA. The same four ships that had entered the area Friday sailed near Kinmen again from 8:54 a.m. to 10:06 a.m.
The CGA said the actions by the Chinese vessels also disrupted the search for missing crew members of the Min Long Yu 61222, a Chinese fishing trawler that capsized in the area on Thursday (March 14).