Activists back after Diaoyutais face-off

The incident was part of the activists' latest attempt to approach the area in a symbolic display of sovereignty over the island group amid swelling tensions in the region.

The ship, the Chuan Chia Fu (全家福), left Shen-ao harbor (深澳港) in New Taipei City early yesterday and entered waters near the Diaoyutai Islands at around 10 a.m. under the escort of four vessels belonging to Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA).

The seven people onboard the fishing vessel were Chinese Association for Protecting the Diaoyutais (中華保釣協會) Chairman Hsieh Mang-lin (謝夢麟), four fellow activists, the ship's captain, an Indonesian crew member and a reporter.

Hsieh previously told local media they were planning to install a statue of Mazu (媽祖) on one of the islands in the hope that the Taoist sea goddess would protect the safety of Taiwanese fishermen operating in the area.

As the Taiwanese ship moved toward the Diaoyutais, which is claimed by Taiwan, Japan and China, it was intercepted and blocked by eight Japan Coast Guard ships about 28 nautical miles from the island group.

At around 10:30 a.m., Japanese vessels began to fire water cannon at the Taiwanese ship. A The CGA patrol responded by firing a water cannon toward the Japanese coast guard ships.

After a standoff, the Chuan Chia Fu ended its operations and set off for Taiwan proper under the escort of the CGA fleet at around 11:30 a.m.

According to the CGA, this was the Taiwanese vessel's third attempt in a year to sail to the disputed island chain.

The CGA said three Chinese surveillance ships were also spotted near the area during the incident.

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5 Comments

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January 25, 2013    krane8@

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17th meeting since 1996? Forget it, let's send another boat there soon. Japan doesn’t seem to want to agree to anything at all. 17 times......LOL.

January 26, 2013    ludahai_twn@

Reply

Krane8 - naturally Japan would not agree to Taiwanese or Chinese claims of sovereignty over those islands as the post-war treaties confirm that they belong to Japan.

January 29, 2013    carltanong@

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ludahai_twn@ wrote:
Krane8 - naturally Japan would not agree to Taiwanese or Chinese claims of sovereignty over those islands as the post-war treaties confirm that they belong to Japan.

In your left hand you support the GREENS and the LIE that tell the Taiwanese public to hate the mainland and the BLUE.

In your right hand, u betray the Taiwanese and support those GREENS, like your daddy 巖里政男_登輝 IwasatoMasao TENG HUI that our Dioayutais belong to Japan.

The Diaoyutais belong to China (REPUBLIC of) Taiwan. All those treaty made in Japan were all considered breached, outdated and should be thrown into the trash.

January 30, 2013    sazazaki@

Reply

Since when did Taiwan Guo have a claim on Daioyutai. Once you redraw your constitution, you are no longer ROC. You are Taiwan Guo which is no longer part of ROC but an independent entity from ROC. Remember, Daioyutai is in Taiwan’s jurisdiction under ROC.

January 31, 2013    ludahai_twn@

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@Carltanong - You can WANT treaties to be thrown in the trash, but there is no legal basis for it without another treaty. There is only one way under international law for territory to be LEGALLY transferred from one state to another state, and that is by treaty. No amount of whining by you and your associates can change that.

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