Taiwan Coast Guard says it has detained a Chinese fishing boat in the waters of the Penghu archipelagocontrolled by Taiwan. The incident occurred approximately 16 nautical miles (about 29.6 km) from Huayu Island. The Chinese vessel did not have permission to enter the waters and tried to escape when the coast guard signaled to stop. The Taiwanese Coast Guard subsequently conducted a blocking maneuver and detained the vessel.

Photo: openverse

During a search of a Chinese fishing vessel, it was discovered that 50 kg shrimpwhich were released back into the sea. Four crew members of the vessel were detained and both the crew and the vessel were taken to the port of Magun, where they will await the results of the investigation.

The incident comes amid ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Recently, the Taiwanese military observed the presence 103 Chinese People’s Liberation Army aircraft near the islandwhich was one of the largest such operations since at least August 2022.

Taiwan has had its own administration since 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek’s troops retreated to the island after losing the Chinese Civil War. While Taiwan maintains its own governance, Beijing considers it one of China’s provinces, leading to ongoing disputes and tensions in the region.