Taiwan, Japan trade protests over stand-off near disputed islands

Sep 14, 2010, 15:19 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan and Japan traded protests on Tuesday following a stand-off between Taiwan activists and the Japanese coast guard near a disputed chain of islands in the East China Sea.

The latest development further complicated the situation in the East China Sea, the scene of an ongoing row between Japan and China over the Japanese coast guard's arrest of a Chinese fishing boat captain in the area last week.

'We have lodged a strong protest with Japan for interference with the activity of our fishing vessel,' the Taiwan Foreign Ministry's acting spokesman James Chang said.

His statement came as Tokyo protested over an attempt by two Taiwanese activists to sail a fishing boat into the waters surrounding a disputed island chain - known as Senkaku in Japan, Diaoyu in China and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan - to uphold Taipei's claim over the area.

Armed with fishing licences, the two activists Monday boarded a fishing boat they had hired to travel to the islands.

Seven Japanese coast guard patrol vessels tried to surround the fishing boat to prevent it approaching the disputed islands when it sailed near the area, Wang Tsung-yi, deputy director of the Taiwan coast guard, said.

'We immediately sent six large-size patrol boats to guard the fishing boat, with five other vessels trailing behind,' Wang said.

Wang said the activists abandoned their attempt around dawn and headed back to Taiwan, ending a stand-off of more than five hours between the Taiwan and Japanese coast guards.

The incident came as diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Beijing were strained after Japan arrested a Chinese fishing boat captain, accusing him of deliberately colliding with Japanese patrol boats in the waters off the island chain.

The islands, together with the oil-rich surrounding area, are claimed by Taiwan, Japan and China.