US moves to end Taiwan-Japan row
Monday, June 16, 2008
THE de facto US envoy to Taiwan called yesterday for peaceful settlement of an incident in which a Taiwanese fishing boat sank after colliding with a Japanese patrol vessel.
Stephen Young, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), told reporters that Washington would not interfere in the dispute between its allies Taipei and Tokyo.
"But given the traditional close relationship between Taiwan and Japan, they should solve the issue in a peaceful manner," he said after completing a race up the Taipei 101, the world's tallest skyscraper.
The incident took place last Tuesday near uninhabited islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese.
Japan administers the disputed chain, which lies near rich energy deposits, but it is also claimed by Taipei and Beijing.
Taiwan's foreign ministry Saturday dismissed a Japanese government report saying captains of both the Japanese coast guard vessel and the Taiwanese fishing boat were suspected of "professional negligence and endangerment" in the incident.
The ministry announced it was recalling its de facto envoy to Japan and demanded an apology and compensation from Japan for the loss caused to the captain.
Ho Hung-yi, the skipper of the 27-tonne Taiwanese craft, insists that the much larger Japanese coast guard boat rammed his boat "on purpose," causing it to sink.
Yesterday, Taiwan's coast guard filed a criminal lawsuit against the captain of the Japanese vessel over the incident.
But the bilateral tensions showed signs of easing when Tadashi Ikeda, Japan's de facto envoy here, visited the Taiwanese captain and said the Japanese coast guard captain had "made a mistake".AFP
Stephen Young, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), told reporters that Washington would not interfere in the dispute between its allies Taipei and Tokyo.
"But given the traditional close relationship between Taiwan and Japan, they should solve the issue in a peaceful manner," he said after completing a race up the Taipei 101, the world's tallest skyscraper.
The incident took place last Tuesday near uninhabited islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese.
Japan administers the disputed chain, which lies near rich energy deposits, but it is also claimed by Taipei and Beijing.
Taiwan's foreign ministry Saturday dismissed a Japanese government report saying captains of both the Japanese coast guard vessel and the Taiwanese fishing boat were suspected of "professional negligence and endangerment" in the incident.
The ministry announced it was recalling its de facto envoy to Japan and demanded an apology and compensation from Japan for the loss caused to the captain.
Ho Hung-yi, the skipper of the 27-tonne Taiwanese craft, insists that the much larger Japanese coast guard boat rammed his boat "on purpose," causing it to sink.
Yesterday, Taiwan's coast guard filed a criminal lawsuit against the captain of the Japanese vessel over the incident.
But the bilateral tensions showed signs of easing when Tadashi Ikeda, Japan's de facto envoy here, visited the Taiwanese captain and said the Japanese coast guard captain had "made a mistake".AFP
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