Taiwan’s top China policy-making body has urged China not to alter the “status quo” around Taiwan’s frontline islands by sending coast guard boats into restricted areas.
The move comes after two Chinese fishermen died trying to escape Taiwan’s coast guard.
The Mainland Affairs Council deputy head, Jan Jyh-horng, stated that the current situation across the Strait should be “controllable.”
China claims Taiwan as its own territory, citing strong objections from the island.
In recent years, it has increased military activities near Taiwan, with daily incursions into air defence identification zones.
China plans to increase its defence spending by 7.2% this year, fueled by a military budget that has doubled during President Xi Jinping’s 11-year tenure.
Taipei believes Beijing still wants to use “peaceful means” to engage with Taiwan, urging China to have more confidence in doing so and to allow Chinese students and tourists to visit the island.
Beijing’s top priorities in Taiwan’s affairs are peaceful unification and cross-strait exchanges, according to Taiwan’s National Security Bureau.
However, the bureau believes Beijing will continue to exert “multi-front” pressure on Taipei, using military activities and economic coercion to change the status quo in the Strait and influence the mainland government’s policy.
