Taiwan detains Chinese fishing vessel, crew for poaching near Penghu Islands

A Chinese fishing vessel and its crew were detained by Taiwanese authorities on Monday after it was found poaching in waters near the Taiwan-held Penghu Islands.

The Aonanao 31201, Chinese fishing vessel was caught trespassing and operating illegally in waters 20.7 nautical miles west of Huayu islet in the Penghu archipelago by a Coast Guard Administration (CGA) patrol, reported Focus Taiwan.

It further reported that the CGA issued three warnings, but the Chinese ship refused to allow an inspection and tried to escape by zigzagging at full speed with its crew holding cleavers and iron bars on the vessel's deck. It wasn't until the Penghu patrol took out shotguns that the Chinese ship gave up.

When the Penghu patrol boarded the ship and an onboard inspection found some 760 kilograms of fish that was later tossed into the sea.

The ship and its seven crew members, including the captain Chen, were taken into custody by the CGA.

CGA stated that this case will be handled based on the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, reported Focus Taiwan.

According to the CGA, six Chinese fishing boats have been caught poaching in waters near Penghu since May, when an annual three-month summer fishing ban in waters to the north, east and south of China began.

China has also recently sent dozens of warplanes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone. Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, even though the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.

( With inputs from ANI )

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