China said on Sunday it would step up law enforcement patrols in waters near Taiwan after two Chinese nationals were killed in a boating incident involving Taiwan’s coast guard.
Four people were on board when a Chinese boat capsized while being pursued by Taiwan’s coast guard near the Kinmen Islands on Wednesday.
All four people on board were thrown overboard, and two of the crew members later died.
The China Coast Guard said it would “conduct regular law enforcement patrols” in the area.
Gan Yu, a spokesperson for the China Coast Guard, said in a statement that the patrols were aimed at “further maintaining operational order in the relevant waters and safeguarding the safety of fishermen’s lives.”
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China has condemned democratic Taiwan over the incident and called on the island to release the two surviving boat crew members who were detained.
Taipei responded by blaming China, saying the ship was in “prohibited waters” around the Kinmen Islands. The Kinmen Islands are a territory administered by Taiwan, but are located just 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Chinese city of Xiamen.
Wednesday’s incident occurred against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
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Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day bring the autonomous island under its control.
In Taiwan’s presidential election held in January, Lai Ching-toku of the Democratic Progressive Party, who the Chinese government considers a separatist, won.
In recent years, Chinese President Xi Jinping has increasingly made statements calling for the “unification” of Taiwan and China.
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And the Chinese government has strengthened its military presence near Taiwan, deploying military aircraft and naval vessels around the island almost every day.
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