Taiwan’s former leader Ma Ying-jeou rejects Japan’s claims to Diaoyu Islands during mainland China trip

Tokyo claims the Diaoyus belong to the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, which includes the area once known as Ryukyu. However, Beijing has long disputed the notion that the Diaoyus were part of the Ryukyu kingdom. Okinawa or Ryukyu? The prefecture on the front line of China-Japan ties Liu Chengyong, director of the China National Archives … Read more

Taiwan to stage offshore live-fire military drills after several recent incidents in the same area

Taiwan will kick off a series of live-fire military drills next month in the area around its offshore islets, including Quemoy, a source of mounting friction between Taipei and Beijing following a series of recent marine incidents. The Kinmen Defence Command under the Taiwanese army will stage artillery exercises to bolster combat readiness at seven … Read more

Fatal coastguard chase: Taiwan blames Beijing’s lack of enforcement on illegal fishing boats

Taiwan has accused Beijing of inaction on unlicensed boats from mainland China, saying the failure was the ultimate cause of an encounter that led to the deaths of two fishermen in waters off a Taiwan-controlled defence outpost last month. The two mainland men were among four on a high-powered fishing boat that overturned during a … Read more

Fatal fishing boat crash isn’t first tragedy to test Xi Jinping in Taiwan Strait, but tensions make ties harder to mend

The cases have some similarities but this time it could be much more difficult to negotiate a resolution, observers say. 02:20 Two mainland Chinese fishermen drown after Taiwan coastguard pursuit Two mainland Chinese fishermen drown after Taiwan coastguard pursuit Both incidents happened amid a lack of communication and trust between the two sides. Like the … Read more

Mainland China’s coastguard ships no threat if they stay clear of land forces, Taiwan military says

Taiwan’s military will not consider the presence of mainland Chinese coastguard vessels in its restricted waters a threat, the island’s defence minister said on Tuesday, as he sought to ease rising cross-strait tensions that could escalate into a potential conflict. “As long as the [mainland coastguard vessels] do not come close to our land forces, … Read more

2 fishermen return to mainland China after Taiwanese coastguard pursuit turns deadly

A 10-member mainland delegation headed by Li Zhaohui, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Quanzhou, arrived in Quemoy on Tuesday to retrieve the men and was greeted by a group of Taiwanese officials. 02:20 Two mainland Chinese fishermen drown after Taiwan coastguard pursuit Two mainland Chinese fishermen drown after Taiwan coastguard pursuit Li … Read more