The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday denied it had been informed of plans by some fishermen to sail to the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) to bolster Taiwan’s claim to sovereignty over the island chain, but said it would protect Taiwanese fishermen who travel to the area.
The coast guard’s remarks came in the wake of media reports that said fishermen in Yilan County were planning to sail to the islands on Saturday to illustrate Taiwan’s territorial claim over them. The islands lie about 120 nautical miles (220km) northeast of the country. According to the media reports, the coast guard said it is to dispatch patrol vessels to protect them.
The coast guard said it will continue its regular missions to protect Taiwanese fishermen operating in waters near the islands.
Meanwhile, responding to media reports that 1,000 China-registered fishing boats were to set sail for the islands yesterday to illustrate China’s claim to the disputed chain, the coast guard said that since a Chinese summer fishing moratorium has been lifted, it is highly unlikely that so many Chinese fishing boats would converge on the island cluster at once.
It said some of the boats are probably just sailing to other fishing grounds in the surrounding area.
Suao Fishermen’s Association director Lin Yueh-ying (林月英) said the disputed region is rich in natural resources and said that if fishermen voluntarily sail to the region to protest, the association will definitely lend assistance.
Meanwhile, Yilan County Councilor Lin Chi-shan (林棋山), of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said the Taiwanese fishermen planning to sail to the Diaoyutais on Saturday are set to travel aboard 60 fishing vessels and asked for NT$5 million (US$170,160) from the county government in fuel subsidies. As far as the Republic of China government is concerned, the islands are under the administration of Yilan County, he said.
According to the councilor, the county government would be failing to support Taiwan’s position on the Diaoyutais issue if it refuses to subsidize the fishermen.
However, Yilan County Commissioner Lin Tsung-hsien (林聰賢) has declined to hand over any cash, saying that the focus should instead be on laying the groundwork for the next round of fishing rights talks between Taiwan and Japan.
Japan recently purchased three of the disputed islands from their private owners, prompting large-scale violent protests against Japan in China. The two countries, along with Taiwan, claim sovereignty over the islands.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS