'Concern' at Taiwan's fishing deal with Japan
Source: AFP |
April 11, 2013, Thursday
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TAIWAN and Japan signed a fishing rights accord yesterday for waters near the Diaoyu Islands at the center of a territorial row that has soured ties between Beijing and Tokyo. China expressed serious concern about the deal.
China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "We express serious concern at Japan's signing a fishery agreement with Taiwan. We hope Japan can truly abide by its commitments regarding Taiwan, and act prudently and appropriately."
Under the agreement, Taiwan trawlers will be permitted to fish in waters off the islands in the East China Sea.
"Under an equity and mutual benefit principle, the agreement has solved the fishing issues stretching for 17 years," said Liao Liao-yi, head of the Association of East Asian Relations, a quasi-official body in charge of exchanges with Japan.
Talks over fishing rights began in 1996 but were suspended in 2009, before being resumed in November last year.
Liao signed the agreement on behalf of Taiwan while the Japanese delegation was led by Mitsuo Ohashi, head of the Interchange Association.
Taiwan fishermen will be able to operate in a designated area off the Diaoyu Islands which spans the sites of 97 percent of fishing disputes with Japan in the past few years during which Taiwan fishing boats were harassed or arrested, said James Sha, Taiwan's fisheries Agency chief.
"From now on the rights of Taiwan fishing boats operating in the water area will be better protected," he said.
Taiwan fishing boats will still be barred from entering waters in the 12 nautical miles off the islands.
However, Taiwan's coast guards may sail in this area if required, the chief of the coast guards said yesterday.
In January, coast guard vessels from Taiwan and Japan duelled with water cannons in their latest stand-off as a boat carrying Taiwan activists headed to the islands.
The incident came at a time of growing regional concern over the islands row between China and Japan, with both Beijing and Tokyo recently scrambling fighter jets to assert their claims to the area.
Coast guard vessels from Japan and Taiwan also exchanged water cannon barrages in September after dozens of Taiwan boats were escorted by patrol ships into the islands' waters.
China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "We express serious concern at Japan's signing a fishery agreement with Taiwan. We hope Japan can truly abide by its commitments regarding Taiwan, and act prudently and appropriately."
Under the agreement, Taiwan trawlers will be permitted to fish in waters off the islands in the East China Sea.
"Under an equity and mutual benefit principle, the agreement has solved the fishing issues stretching for 17 years," said Liao Liao-yi, head of the Association of East Asian Relations, a quasi-official body in charge of exchanges with Japan.
Talks over fishing rights began in 1996 but were suspended in 2009, before being resumed in November last year.
Liao signed the agreement on behalf of Taiwan while the Japanese delegation was led by Mitsuo Ohashi, head of the Interchange Association.
Taiwan fishermen will be able to operate in a designated area off the Diaoyu Islands which spans the sites of 97 percent of fishing disputes with Japan in the past few years during which Taiwan fishing boats were harassed or arrested, said James Sha, Taiwan's fisheries Agency chief.
"From now on the rights of Taiwan fishing boats operating in the water area will be better protected," he said.
Taiwan fishing boats will still be barred from entering waters in the 12 nautical miles off the islands.
However, Taiwan's coast guards may sail in this area if required, the chief of the coast guards said yesterday.
In January, coast guard vessels from Taiwan and Japan duelled with water cannons in their latest stand-off as a boat carrying Taiwan activists headed to the islands.
The incident came at a time of growing regional concern over the islands row between China and Japan, with both Beijing and Tokyo recently scrambling fighter jets to assert their claims to the area.
Coast guard vessels from Japan and Taiwan also exchanged water cannon barrages in September after dozens of Taiwan boats were escorted by patrol ships into the islands' waters.
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