The situation in the Taiwan Strait has worsened after Chinese fishermen were killed near an island controlled by Taiwan.
Taiwan feels a constant “ drip” pressure from China. Its strengthening in Taiwan is associated with the approaching inauguration of the new president of the island state, which is due to take place in May.
Reuters writes about this.
Presidential elections in Taiwan were held in January 2024. The winner was the current Vice President of Taiwan, William Lai, who is considered a separatist in China.
After the election results became known, the Chinese Coast Guard began regularly patrolling the waters of the Taiwan Strait near Kinmen Island, which is controlled by Taiwan and located just a short ferry ride from the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou.
The head of the US House Select Committee on China, Mike Gallagher, during a visit to Taipei last week, said that such actions by Beijing are part of a sustained pattern of pressure on Taiwan.
According to an anonymous source, China is gradually changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Takes one step to make sure he can get away with it and moves on to the next, thus increasingly narrowing Taiwan's space for movement.
China says its coast guard patrols are there to ensure the safety of its fishermen.
Two Chinese fishermen were reported to have died in February 2024 after attempting to escape from the Taiwan Coast Guard. According to the Taiwanese side, the fishing boat first came too close to Kinmen Island, and then capsized while trying to escape from the patrol.
At the same time, China states that only it has sovereignty over the Taiwan Strait and does not recognize any “forbidden” waters for its fishermen around Kinmen, because “both sides of the Taiwan Strait are part of one China, and Taiwan is also part of China.” This statement was made on Wednesday by Zhu Fenglian, a representative of the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office.
“Gray” zone
Taiwan expert Li Zhenguang of Peking University said in an interview this week that asserting jurisdiction over Kinmen is a necessary step towards the “reunification” of China and Taiwan.
According to a Taiwanese official who wished to remain anonymous, the situation around Kinmen is the latest manifestation of “gray zone” tactics aimed at depleting the island without a full-scale conflict.
Tension over Kinmen is expected to continue in the near future, despite ongoing talks between government officials from Taiwan and China to resolve the incident.
Taiwan refused the demands of the families of the dead fishermen for compensation and an apology, arguing that admitting guilt would complicate the work of the coast guard in the future.
When the island's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng was asked how the Taiwanese side would react if the Chinese coast guard “overextended itself” during patrols, he replied that Taiwan does not want conflict, but it will not shy away from it either.
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