In the waters near Taiwan’s Kinmen archipelago, two Chinese fishermen lost their lives while being pursued by Taiwan’s coast guard, who accused them of trespassing. This incident is considered uncommon despite the high level of Chinese activity in the region. Kinmen is geographically closer to China than Taiwan’s main island, and China claims sovereignty over the entirety of Taiwan.
The deaths prompted a strong condemnation from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which called for an investigation. The office expressed concern about the incident occurring during the Spring Festival, a time of celebration for both China and Taiwan. The statement accused Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party of forcefully inspecting Chinese fishing vessels and using violent methods against Chinese fishermen.
The incident took place approximately one nautical mile off the coast of a Kinmen island islet, where an unnamed Chinese vessel attempted to evade the coast guard but ultimately capsized. Two of the four fishermen who fell into the water survived and are reported to be in good condition, while resuscitation efforts for the other two were unsuccessful.
The coast guard has reported the case to the Kinmen prosecutor’s office, and efforts are being made to contact the families of the deceased fishermen through official channels. Kinmen, located in the Taiwan Strait between China and Taiwan, has witnessed an increase in Chinese sand dredger vessels and fishing ships in recent years, visible from some parts of the archipelago.