China Frees More Fishermen From Taiwan Boats in Sign of Progress
(Bloomberg) -- For the second time in a week, China is freeing fishermen who had been detained while working on Taiwanese boats, a sign both sides can work through some of their small problems despite fundamental differences in the China-Taiwan relationship.
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One Taiwanese and three Indonesian crew members of a boat detained in early July are expected to board a vessel from China that will then transfer the crew to another boat heading back to Taiwan, according to the Taipei-based United Daily News, which didn’t identify its sources. The transfer was also confirmed by the Chinese coastguard, which said one crew member remains under investigation.
The crew was detained in early July, the first time China had stopped a Taiwanese vessel for fishing out of season in 17 years. Last week, China freed a fisherman who had been held for more than four months in a separate incident.
While the release won’t change red lines for either side, it does suggest that both China and Taiwan are willing to hold talks to address some of their lesser disagreements. Beijing views the democratically run archipelago of 23 million people as territory that must be brought under its control, by force if necessary. The Democratic Progressive Party that runs the government in Taipei argues the island deserves broader recognition globally.
All of the detentions have come as China stepped up pressure on the recently inaugurated president, Lai Ching-te, who Beijing distrusts because it sees him as pursuing independence.
A group of US lawmakers visiting Taipei met with Lai this morning, an event that is likely to elicit a critical response from Beijing. China opposes nations having official contact with the government in Taipei, and held major military drills around Taiwan’s main island twice after Lai’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, met top US lawmakers.
Taiwan’s defense ministry separately said it detected roughly 22 different Chinese military aircraft today, with 16 having crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the island’s air defence identification zone.
--With assistance from Cindy Wang.
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