Taiwan minister says 5 China Coast Guard ships sailed near Kinmen

TAIPEI (Reuters) -- Five Chinese coast guard ships entered prohibited or restricted waters around Taiwan's frontline islands of Kinmen on Monday, a Taiwan minister told reporters on Tuesday amid a rise in tension with Beijing.

China's coast guard this month began regular patrols around the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands, which are close to China's shores, after two Chinese nationals died trying to flee Taiwan's coast guard after their boat entered prohibited waters.

Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council, told reporters the Chinese boats left the area shortly after Taiwan's coast guard told them to leave.

Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has been wary of efforts by Beijing to ramp up pressure on Taipei following last month's election of Lai Ching-te as president, a man Beijing considers a "dangerous separatist."

Six Chinese coast guard officers last week boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat carrying 11 crew and 23 passengers to check its route plan, certificate and crew licenses, leaving around half an hour later, Taiwan's coast guard said.