Taipei, Sept. 14 (CNA) The Taiwan government said Tuesday it is not siding with China in an incident involving the collision of a Chinese fishing boat and two Japanese patrol vessels in the area of the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands on Sept. 7.
The presence of a boat carrying two Taiwanese activists in the area Monday was the result of "a spontaneous reaction by Taiwanese nationals" to make clear their opinion that Taiwan holds sovereignty over the Tiaoyutai Islands, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman James Chang said.
"The Taiwan government is responsible for protecting their safety, " Chang said at a press conference, in reference to Taiwan's decision Tuesday morning to dispatch 12 Coast Guard vessels to the area.
"Taiwan is not teaming up with China in the controversy," Chang said.
However, he said, the Taiwan government is against the action by Japan's Coast Guard to prevent the Taiwanese boat from further approaching the disputed islands, which lie about 100 nautical miles off Taiwan's northeast tip in the East China Sea.
All activities by boats in the vicinity of the Tiaoyutais are under Taiwan's jurisdiction, Chang said, reiterating Taiwan's sovereignty over the islands.
Known as the Diaoyutai Islands in China and the Senkaku Islands in Japan, the uninhabited islands are claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan, but are controlled by Japan.
The latest dispute was set off by the arrest of a Chinese fishing boat skipper after his trawler and two Japanese Coast Guard vessels collided on Sept. 7.
The fishing boat crew was questioned on suspicion of violating the fisheries law and on their alleged rejection of a request by the Japan Coast Guard to inspect the boat, according to international wire reports.
On Monday afternoon, two Taiwanese activists set off for the Tiaoyutais to show support for Taiwan's claim to the islands, but their action was thwarted Tuesday morning by Japan's Coast Guard.
Also on Monday, Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister Shen Lyu-hsun summoned Japan's top envoy to Taiwan Tadashi Imai and reiterated that Taiwan held sovereignty over the Tiaoyutais.
In response to reporters' questions, Chang said Shen's move had nothing to do with China, which also summoned the Japanese ambassador there to express concern over the detention of the fishing boat skipper.
In terms of the fishing rights in the Tiaoyutais, Chang said, Taiwan advocates "collaboration" between Taiwan and Japan through bilateral consultation.
He declined to answer a question on whether Taiwan had consulted with China on the latest Tiaoyutai dispute.
Chang said that Taiwan hopes the issue of fishing rights, which has been discussed in the last 16 fishery talks between Taiwan and Japan, will not jeopardize the ties between them, which have been growing since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008.
The latest Tiaoyutai dispute spurred a protest in Taiwan by about 100 people, who gathered Tuesday in front of the Interchange Association, Japan's representative office in Taipei in the absence of official bilateral diplomatic relations. (By Chris Wang) enditem /pc