Taiwan protests after China boards a tourist boat near Kinmen Island
By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN
Associated Press
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan is protesting China’s boarding of a tourist boat as tensions rise around the Kinmen archipelago, which lies just off the Chinese coast but is controlled by Taiwan. Taiwanese media reported the King Xia, carrying 11 crew and 23 passengers, was boarded by the Chinese coast guard for about 32 minutes on Monday. Taiwan’s coast guard escorted the boat back to Kinmen, and it then continued its sight-seeing voyage. China is stepping up patrols in the waters off the coast of Taiwan’s Kinmen archipelago, days after two Chinese fishermen drowned while being chased by the Taiwanese coast guard, which accused the boat of trespassing.