Malaysia - 6 Chinese fishing boats detained for invasion of territory

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

マレーシア、中国漁船６隻を拘束　領海侵犯で

2020.10.13 Tue posted at 10:56 JST

香港（ＣＮＮ） マレーシアの海事当局は１３日までに、領海を航行中の中国漁船６隻を停止させ、中国国籍の６０人を拘束したことを明らかにした。中国は複数の国が領有権を争う現在の南シナ海で、存在感を高めている。

拘束が行われたのは１０日。現場はシンガポールとの国境に位置する南部ジョホール州の東の沖合だった。漁船は中国北部の秦皇島市で登録されており、西アフリカのモーリタニアに向かう途中だったという。

マレーシアでは、２０１６年から１９年にかけて中国の沿岸警備隊や海軍の船舶による領海侵犯が８９件報告されている。資源が豊富で主要な貿易ルートともなっている南シナ海をめぐっては、中国政府がほとんどの範囲で領有権を主張しており、米国との間で緊張が高まり続けている。

漁船の船員らが拘束された当時、中国の王毅外相は、４日間の日程で東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）に加盟するカンボジア、マレーシア、ラオス、タイ、シンガポールを歴訪中だった。米国政府からの圧力が増し、新型コロナウイルスの影響も継続する中、地域的な結びつきを強化する狙いがあったとみられる。

一方、東シナ海では、日本が領有権を主張する尖閣諸島（中国名・釣魚島）周辺に中国の公船２隻が相次いで侵入した。海上保安庁が１２日に明らかにした。

海保によると、中国船は１１日から侵入しており、航行する日本漁船に接近を試みて同海域から退去させようとするなどしていた。中国側は現場海域を自国の領海と認識している。

日本政府はこうした尖閣諸島周辺への侵入について、中国側に抗議を行っている。海保は今回が過去２２日で１８回目の侵入だったとしている。

Translation

 Hong Kong (CNN) Malaysian maritime officials announced on the 13th that they had stopped six Chinese fishing vessels sailing in their territorial waters and detained 60 Chinese nationals. China was increasing its presence in these days in the South China Sea where multiple countries were vying for sovereignty.

The detention was done on the 10th. The site was off the east coast of southern Johor, on the border with Singapore. The fishing boats were registered in Qinhuangdao of northern China, and was on their way to Mauritania in West Africa.

In Malaysia, 89 cases of territorial invasion by Chinese Coast Guard and Navy vessels were reported from 2016 to 2019.  Regarding the South China Sea, it was resource-rich and was also a major trade route; the Chinese government was claiming the sovereignty of most of this region and tensions with the United States continued to rise.

When the sailors of the fishing boat were detained, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in a four-day schedule of visiting Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, and Singapore, which were members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). As pressure from the US government increased and the effects of the new coronavirus continued, it seemed that his aim was to strengthen regional ties.

On the other hand, in the East China Sea, two Chinese public vessels one after another intruded into around the Senkaku Islands (Chinese name: Diaoyu Islands) which Japan had claimed sovereignty. The Japan Coast Guard revealed this on the 12th.

According to the Japan Coast Guard, Chinese vessels had invaded since the 11th, trying to approach the Japanese sailing fishing vessels but were evicted them from the area. The Chinese side perceived the sea area in the vicinity as its own territorial waters.

The Japanese government protested to the Chinese about such invasions around the Senkaku Islands. The Japan Coast Guard supposed that this was the 18th invasion in the past 22 days.

              So, the Chinese fishing boats are going around the world to search for possible fishery resources.