Taiwan says 5 Chinese coast guard ships entered waters near front-line islands

TAIPEI — Five Chinese coast guard ships entered prohibited or restricted waters around Taiwan's front-line islands of Kinmen on Feb 26 but left shortly after being warned away, a Taiwan minister said on Feb 27 amid a continued rise in tensions with Beijing.

China's coast guard in February began regular patrols around the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands, which are close to China's coast, 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, which runs the coast guard — told reporters at Parliament that the Chinese boats left the area shortly after Taiwan's coast guard told them to leave.

"The political significance is high, which is a form of a declaration of sovereignty," she said.

China's coast guard, which has no publicly available contact details, has yet to comment.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office said it would comment at its regular news briefing on Feb 28. It said earlier in February that it recognises no off-limits or restricted waters for Chinese fishing boats around Kinmen.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the island's rejection, has been wary of efforts by Beijing to ramp up pressure on Taipei following the January election of Vice-President Lai Ching-te as president.

Beijing considers him a separatist.

Taiwan has a large military garrison on Kinmen, the scene of frequent fighting during the height of the Cold War, but Taiwan's coast guard patrols its waters.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said last week that it is not bolstering its forces on the islands close to China, which include the Matsu archipelago up the coast from Kinmen.

Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, also