The foreign ministry is demanding that Indonesia provide a written statement on a shooting incident involving an Indonesian patrol vessel and Taiwanese fishing boats. That’s the word from Foreign Minister David Lin on Friday.
The Indonesian patrol vessel opened fire on two Taiwanese fishing boats as they sailed through the Strait of Malacca on Monday. The shooting left more than 10 bullet holes in one of the boats, though no one on board was injured.
Indonesian officials have accused the boats of illegal fishing, and say that the crew of the patrol vessel acted in accordance with standard procedures. Foreign Minister David Lin says Taiwan demands a written statement from Indonesia offering clear proof for its accusations. Lin says the foreign ministry does not accept Indonesia’s use of force and will work with Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency to resolve the dispute.
Huang Hung-yan, the deputy director of the Fisheries Agency, has also rejected Indonesia’s accusations. He says that records show the fishing boats were sailing at five nautical miles per hour, a speed that is impossible for fishing.