Taiwan retaliated and drove away Chinese coast guard ships near Matsu, Kinmen

As Chinese ships entered restricted waters around Taiwan on Thursday, Taiwan’s coast guard removed China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and dispatched patrol boats to collect evidence, Focus Taiwan reported. .

It happened when Chinese ships entered restricted waters around the Taiwan-controlled outlying islands of Dongyin in Matsu and Wukiu in Kinmen on Thursday morning.

In a statement, the China Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said the China Coast Guard vessels with hull numbers “14607” and “14509” entered the restricted waters of Dongyin, Taiwan at 7:48 a.m. along with China Coast Guard Vessel “14517” with hull numbers “14607” and “14509”. Did. On the outer circumference.

The CGA monitored the situation and dispatched patrol boats PP-3586, PP-3571 and PP-10037 to collect evidence, issue warnings and drive away vessels.

Subsequently, China Coast Guard vessels departed the restricted waters at 8:53 a.m., according to Focus Taiwan.

Additionally, the CGA detected China Coast Guard Vessels “14606” and “14506” entering restricted waters off Wukiu, Kinmen on Thursday morning, surrounded by China Coast Guard Vessel “14502” on the outer perimeter.

The coast guard dispatched patrol boats PP-10039 from Kinmen and PP-10035 from Taichung to immediately respond. The China Coast Guard vessels departed the waters off Wukiu at 8:45 a.m.

According to the CGA, China’s coast guard vessels deliberately entered the waters around the outer islands seven times in May, affecting maritime security and disrupting peace and stability, Focus Taiwan reported.

It added that these actions are not conducive to similar cross-strait exchanges.

The CGA urged China to exercise self-restraint and immediately stop these irrational actions, adding that it will firmly safeguard Taiwan’s national sovereignty and security.

Specifically, the restricted and prohibited waters in the area are limits that were set by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense in 1992.

According to the CGA, “prohibited waters” refers to territorial waters. “Restricted waters” refers to a contiguous zone designated by states to enhance their law enforcement capacity in waters immediately outside their territorial sea.

Currently, the prohibited zone around the main islands of Kinmen and Little Kinmen extends about four kilometers to the east, about eight kilometers to the south and about half to the coast of China in the north and north-east.