Business Times Online
Date: December 12, 2020
By: .Artie Villasanta
President Tsai Ing-wen warns mainland Chinese illegal
fishermen and resource robbers to stay out of Taiwan’s waters.
(Photo: Presidential Office Building, Taiwan/CC By (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0))
The Republic of China (Taiwan) said it won't hesitate using its most powerful coast guard vessel, the first of which entered service Friday, to hunt down mainland Chinese ships illegally fishing and stealing mineral resources inside its territorial waters.
President Tsai Ing-wen delivered the stern warning during the ceremony in Kaohsiung that saw the "Angping (CG-601)," a heavily-armed catamaran patrol boat/missile corvette, enter service with the Coast Guard Administration of Taiwan (CGA). The same event also saw the launch of "Chengkung (CG-602)" slated to enter CGA service in 2021.
Anping is the first boat in the Anping-class offshore patrol vessel. A further three boats are scheduled for delivery to the CGA before the end of 2026.
The Angping-class will eventually consist of 12 locally designed and built 600-ton class catamaran patrol vessels that can quickly be converted into warships armed with Taiwan's latest hypersonic anti-ship missiles. [FULL STORY]
