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BEIJING\/TAIPEI: Taiwan must \u201cbear the consequences\u201d \u200cof its Coast Guard using a water cannon against a Chinese fishing boat near an atoll in the South China Sea, a Chinese government spokesperson said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
A Taiwan Coast Guard ship this month fired its water cannon, saying the boat failed to respond to warnings to move away from restricted waters close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands. The ship then suffered engine failure and was towed away by a nearby Chinese vessel, Taiwan\u2019s Coast Guard \u200csaid. Chen Binhua, \u200ca spokesperson for China\u2019s Taiwan Affairs Office \u200cin Beijing, said China has \u201cindisputable sovereignty\u201d over the Pratas and surrounding waters.<\/p>\n
\u201cMainland vessels operating in the relevant waters are entirely legal and justified. We will resolutely safeguard the lives and property of our people,\u201d Chen said.<\/p>\n
Taiwan\u2019s \u201ctreatment of mainland vessels roughly in a dangerous manner that endangers the lives and property of the personnel involved is maliciously stirring up cross-strait confrontation \u200cand they must bear \u200call consequences arising from this,\u201d Chen said, without elaborating on the \u200cconsequences. A Taiwan official with direct knowledge of the \u200csituation around the Pratas told Reuters that the Coast Guard carried out \u201cnormal law enforcement\u201d during the incident and responded in a \u201cvery careful and proportionate way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pratas Islands lie roughly between \u200csouthern Taiwan and Hong Kong. Security experts see them as vulnerable to Chinese attack due to their distance \u2014 more than 400 km (250 miles) \u2014 from Taiwan.<\/p>\n
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased its military presence around the island over the past five years. The government in Taipei rejects China\u2019s claim.<\/p>\n
China recognizes no claims of sovereignty by Taiwan, including over the Pratas Islands, and Chinese coast guard ships have increased patrols.<\/p>\n
Taiwan\u2019s Coast Guard is in charge of day-to-day security for Pratas rather than the military.<\/p>\n
The Pratas Islands are a national park. They have an airstrip but no permanent civilian population.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n