Safety top priority in tense Taiwan Strait after chase deaths
- Tensions must be eased in wake of tragedy involving two fishermen from mainland China who were being pursued by Taiwan coastguard
- Beijing response is subdued so far, but with more patrols in the area, careful management is required to avoid further incidents
The tragic deaths of two mainland fishermen last week while fleeing a Taiwanese coastguard patrol has raised tensions in the Taiwan Strait yet another notch. The men drowned after their boat capsized during the chase near the Quemoy, or Kinmen, islands that are controlled by Taiwan off the mainland coast. Beijing’s response so far has been relatively measured with it swiftly condemning the incident.
The coastguard in Fujian, the mainland province facing Taiwan, has begun regular patrols of waters between its capital city, Xiamen, and Taiwan, with a Taiwanese cruise ship being briefly boarded on Monday.
Beijing has accused Taiwan’s coastguard of using “violent and dangerous methods”, but Taipei said the speedboat belonging to the men was trespassing in prohibited waters. The incident illustrates the complex relationship – both sides claim Taiwan as sovereign territory. That of course includes Quemoy, a Taiwan defence outpost just several kilometres east of Xiamen. Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China, to be reunited when the time is right.
The incident took place with tensions already high. William Lai Ching-te is due to take over from Tsai Ing-wen as president of Taiwan in May, and is expected to steer the self-ruled island further away from the mainland. Beijing had branded Lai a “troublemaker” and framed last month’s election as a choice between war and peace, but its response since has been subdued.
Analysts say Beijing faces a quandary as it tries to balance its domestic pressures, its tense but warming relations with the United States, and the Taiwan leadership transition. Foreign Minister Wang Yi raised Beijing’s position on Taiwan when he met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Munich on Friday. Although the US does not recognise Taiwan as a state, it is the main supplier of weapons to the island.
The presence of more mainland patrol vessels in the area will further blur maritime boundaries. On top of this, regional waters appear to be getting more crowded. The US, which already has three aircraft carriers in the western Pacific, is reportedly planning to send two more as a show of strength to rivals, including China and North Korea, and as reassurance to regional allies. The US has its own presidential election this year, which will keep the heat on relations between Beijing and Washington, and ensure that Taiwan will be a likely point of tension for months to come.
With so much at stake, it is important that safety and avoiding injury or loss of life should be the top priority. Increased traffic in the Taiwan Strait will need to be carefully managed to avoid another incident that might inflame tensions further.
Peace and stability in the strait should be the overriding objective, with tensions de-escalating, not increasing.
