China in contact with NK over seized fishing boats
By Staff Reporter |
May 18, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
China is in close contact with North Korea over the recent detainment of three Chinese fishing boats, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said yesterday.
A North Korean boat hijacked the boats in a Chinese section of the Yellow Sea on May 8 with 29 Chinese fishermen on board and demanded 1.2 million yuan (US$190,000) for their release, The Beijing News said yesterday.
The North Koreans then cut the price to 900,000 yuan, or 300,000 yuan for each boat, and set a deadline of yesterday, Zhang Dechang, owner of one of the boats, told the newspaper, which called the demand a "ransom."
The first boat was hijacked at about 4:30am on May 8 and the other two at about 1pm the same day.
One of the captains, Han Qiang, reportedly told a boat owner on May 9 that he and eight other crew members were being kept in a small cabin measuring about 3 square meters and offered no food.
The 29 sailors who were on the boats are now in North Korea, one captured seaman said in a call with an owner, the newspaper added.
The paper said the North Korean boat was manned by armed men in blue hats and uniforms but didn't otherwise identify them.
It was unclear whether the seizure of the boats was authorized by the North Korean government, or was the initiative of local officials.
"China is maintaining close communication with North Korea side through relative channels in order to appropriately address the issue as soon as possible," Hong said during a daily news briefing.
"The Chinese side has urged North Korea to ensure the safety and legitimate rights of the Chinese crew members," he added.
He didn't elaborate or clarify whether the payment allegedly being demanded was considered a ransom.
Hong said China was trying to have the issue resolved properly as soon as possible. The Chinese Foreign Ministry earlier told the newspaper that the incident was a "fisheries case."
Border police in northeastern China's coastal Liaoning Province told the newspaper they were in contact with the North Korean captors but declined to comment further.
An official with Liaoning's fisheries department said the Beidou satellite positioning system on the fishing boats was the only source now that could determine whether the boats had crossed into North Korean waters at the time.
A North Korean boat hijacked the boats in a Chinese section of the Yellow Sea on May 8 with 29 Chinese fishermen on board and demanded 1.2 million yuan (US$190,000) for their release, The Beijing News said yesterday.
The North Koreans then cut the price to 900,000 yuan, or 300,000 yuan for each boat, and set a deadline of yesterday, Zhang Dechang, owner of one of the boats, told the newspaper, which called the demand a "ransom."
The first boat was hijacked at about 4:30am on May 8 and the other two at about 1pm the same day.
One of the captains, Han Qiang, reportedly told a boat owner on May 9 that he and eight other crew members were being kept in a small cabin measuring about 3 square meters and offered no food.
The 29 sailors who were on the boats are now in North Korea, one captured seaman said in a call with an owner, the newspaper added.
The paper said the North Korean boat was manned by armed men in blue hats and uniforms but didn't otherwise identify them.
It was unclear whether the seizure of the boats was authorized by the North Korean government, or was the initiative of local officials.
"China is maintaining close communication with North Korea side through relative channels in order to appropriately address the issue as soon as possible," Hong said during a daily news briefing.
"The Chinese side has urged North Korea to ensure the safety and legitimate rights of the Chinese crew members," he added.
He didn't elaborate or clarify whether the payment allegedly being demanded was considered a ransom.
Hong said China was trying to have the issue resolved properly as soon as possible. The Chinese Foreign Ministry earlier told the newspaper that the incident was a "fisheries case."
Border police in northeastern China's coastal Liaoning Province told the newspaper they were in contact with the North Korean captors but declined to comment further.
An official with Liaoning's fisheries department said the Beidou satellite positioning system on the fishing boats was the only source now that could determine whether the boats had crossed into North Korean waters at the time.
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