Taiwan and China Reach Agreement on Fishermen's Deaths Dispute

Photo : Reuters

After extensive negotiations, Taiwan and China have reached an agreement concerning the deaths of two Chinese fishermen who died during a sea chase by Taiwan's coastguard. Taipei announced that the settlement includes compensation for the victims' families and the repatriation of their bodies to China.

The agreement comes after heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait, which Beijing claims as its own. The incident occurred on February 14 when a fishing boat from China, with four individuals onboard, entered Taiwanese waters near Kinmen Island and resisted inspection. The boat capsized during the chase, resulting in the deaths of two fishermen who drowned while attempting to escape.

China condemned the incident as "malicious" and responded by increasing patrols around Taiwan's Kinmen archipelago. Beijing's coastguard stated that these patrols aimed to "maintain operational order in sea areas and safeguard fishermen’s lives and property."

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Historically, Taiwan and China had been more flexible regarding each other's fishing fleets near Taiwan’s offshore islands, such as Kinmen, which is only about 3 kilometers from China’s coast. However, Taiwan has recently tightened enforcement in its waters, citing a rise in poaching by fishermen from China's Fujian province. Residents of Kinmen have reported increased activity by Chinese dredging vessels in the area.

In response to the incident, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office had called for a thorough investigation and demanded that Taiwan assist the victims' families. Beijing also accused Taiwan of using the incident as a pretext to seize Chinese fishing vessels. Taiwan, on the other hand, defended its coastguard's actions and urged Beijing to prevent similar incidents.

Taiwan's coast guard director, Chang Chung-lung, issued an apology to the victims' families for their suffering and for the lack of recorded evidence in the case. Both sides have committed to promptly implementing the terms of the agreement, though details remain undisclosed to respect the families' privacy.

Hsieh Chin-chin, deputy director-general of Taiwan’s coastguard administration, stated that the compensation will be funded by private donors and emphasized that it does not affect the ongoing investigation into the incident. Beijing expressed hope that Taiwan will adhere to the agreement's terms and provide clarity to the victims' families.