Taipei Times
Date: May 12, 2015
By: Loa Iok-sin  /  Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chuang Ruei-hsiung (莊瑞雄)

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chuang Ruei-hsiung, right, holds a press conference at the legislature in Taipei yesterday, panning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its handling of the detention of a Taiwanese fishing boat by the Philippines. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

yesterday panned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over its handling of the detention of a Taiwanese fishing boat by the Philippines.

“An initial report released by the Philippine authorities accuse the Taiwanese fishing boat Sheng Fong No. 12 (昇豐12號) of engaging in illegal fishing in Philippine territorial waters,” Chuang told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. “However, it was a unilateral investigation, without Taiwan being invited to take part in the probe. The foreign ministry should not just believe whatever the Philippines claims.”

The Pingtung-registered Sheng Feng No. 12 early on Thursday morning was passing through waters 6.5 nautical miles (12km) southeast of Mavulis Island — called Yami Island by Taiwan — the northernmost tip of the Batanes Islands, when the Philippine coast guard approached and boarded the fishing boat to investigate whether it had been poaching, according to a fishermen’s association in Pingtung’s Liouciou (琉球), where the vessel is registered.     [FULL  STORY]