Politics China releases crew of fishing boat from Taiwan after weeks
Four fishermen from a Taiwanese boat detained by China have been released after 40 days in custody. According to the Chinese coast guard, the men were brought back to the island republic, while one sailor had to remain in China for further investigations. Chinese officials boarded and detained the cutter with the two Taiwanese and three Indonesian seamen on July 2 near the southeastern Chinese coastal city of Quanzhou, close to the Taiwanese island of Kinmen.
13.08.2024, 07:18
SDA
According to China's coast guard, the men were suspected of illegal fishing. In July, they were said to have violated a fishing ban and illegally used narrow nets. The repatriation of the four crew members was justified on the grounds that only minor violations had occurred after evidence had been collected. According to Taiwan's news agency CNA, one of the Taiwanese and the three Indonesians were released after weeks of negotiations.
Tense relationship
The arrest of "Da Jin Man No. 88" had further strained the highly tense relationship between China and Taiwan. The government in Taipei had demanded the immediate release of the ship and an end to political manipulation. The two sides have often clashed over fishing on the island of Kinmen. In February, for example, the death of two Chinese fishermen who capsized during a pursuit with Taiwan's coastguard caused an outcry in Beijing. China subsequently stepped up patrols in the area.
Beijing considers the democratically governed island republic to be part of China and considers the pro-independence government under President Lai Ching-te to be separatists. China wants to unite Taiwan, which has had an independent government since 1949, with the mainland and has already threatened to invade.
