Chinese coast guard officers briefly boarded a Taiwanese ship on Monday, Taiwan authorities said, after Beijing indicated plans to step up patrols and controls following a naval incident in which two Chinese nationals were been killed.
A boat carrying four Chinese people capsized last week near Taiwan's Kinmen Islands while being pursued by Taiwanese coast guards.
All four fell into the water and two drowned.
The two survivors were detained on the island of Kinmen, administered by Taiwan but located only five kilometers from the Chinese city of Xiamen.
Taiwan justified the intervention of its coast guard by claiming that the boat had entered prohibited waters.
Shortly after, Beijing announced an intensification of
“patrol operations”
in the area.
Increased tensions
On Monday, Taiwan's coast guard said two vessels from its Chinese counterparts boarded a Taiwanese cruise ship, which was carrying 23 passengers and 11 crew members.
“Six Continental Coast Guard officers boarded the vessel.
After checking its itinerary, its certificate, the captain's and crew's licenses and the captain's signature, they left the ship
,” the Taiwanese Coast Guard said in a statement.
The February 14 incident occurred amid heightened tensions between Taiwan and Beijing.
Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan back under its control and, in recent years, has intensified the rhetoric of
"unification"
.
He increased military pressure on the island by flying fighter jets and sailing military ships around the island almost every day.
Taiwan held a presidential election in January, won by Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party, a candidate Beijing considers
"separatist
. "