The disputed Diaoyutai islands are back in the news after a collision between a Taiwanese and a Japanese boat. Taiwan, Japan and China all claim ownership over the islands.
A 2013 fisheries agreement between Taiwan and Japan was supposed to prevent conflicts in the two countries’ overlapping exclusive economic zones. It allows Taiwanese fishing boats to operate in a zone near the controversial islands. The incident now casts uncertainty over the agreement.
A Taiwanese fishing boat collided with a Japanese government vessel in waters near the controversial Diaoyutai Islands on Sunday. The collision took place around 12 nautical miles west of the islands.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the Su'ao-registered fishing boat -- the "Hsin Ling Po 236” -- was hit by the Japanese Coast Guard vessel PS-32 at around 2pm on Sunday. The ministry said that no one was injured in the incident.
The Japanese ship left the scene of the collision, and did not respond to radio messages asking to communicate.
Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration sent a patrol boat to the scene of the collision. They discovered that the starboard side of the fishing boat was damaged, but there were no leaks.
The patrol boat then escorted the Hsin Ling Po 236 back to the main island of Taiwan after collecting evidence of the collision.
The cause of the incident is still unknown, but Taiwan’s foreign ministry says that the Coast Guard and the Fisheries Agency have launched an investigation. The ministry says Taiwan will also ask Japan to address the incident and to “ensure maritime safety around the Diaoyutais.”