Posted on 05/24/2005 7:38:04 PM PDT by Paul_Denton
Last Updated 24/05/2005, 22:38:11
Taiwan has threatened to board a Chinese surveillance ship which it says has ignored repeated demands to leave the island's waters.
The coastguard says the vessel, which is affiliated with China's Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, was first noticed Sunday.
At the time it was sailing some 176 kilometres southwest of the island's southern city Kaohsiung.
The coastguard says the Chinese ship has since refused to leave the waters, prompting Taiwan to send four frigates to monitor the ship.
"We tried to approach the ship and force it to leave the area, but the warning was apparently overlooked," a coast guard spokesman said.
"We will forcefully board 'Fendou No. 4' if our warning continues to be ignored," the spokesman told the AFP newsagency.
This marks the second time in less than a month a Chinese surveillance ship has been found illegally entering Taiwan's 200-mile economic zone.
Though they are governed separately, China considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
< back
If it even steps one foot into Taiwanese territorial waters I wanna see it blown to hell...
ping
It is already in Taiwan's waters. China is trying to provoke Taiwan into a response so that China has an excuse to attack. You will NOT see another "Pueblo"-type incident with the Chinese. Watch what happens when Taiwan tries to board the "survelliance" vessel. LOL.
That maybe what Taiwan see's as its waters (176km is the current distance of the ship from shore), but internationally recognized distance is 12 miles per the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
You and me both, brother!
Never happen. US will back China and Taiwan will be SOL.
Those are territorial waters (12 nautical miles from shore).
The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is 200 nautical miles from shore. Foreign ships (not warships) may pass through the EEZ but may not use the waters for such things as fishing and drilling.
It sounded like the Chinese ship was loitering in the EEZ instead of simply passing through it. Since they are enemies, perhaps the surveilance ship is considered a war ship?
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