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Taiwan Recalls Its Representative in Manila Over Fisherman’s Killing Taiwan Recalls Its Representative in Manila Over Fisherman’s Killing
(about 1 hour later)
BEIJING — Taiwan announced Wednesday the withdrawal of its representative in Manila and said it had stopped accepting applications for Filipino workers on the island, a retaliatory step for the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine Coast Guard last week.BEIJING — Taiwan announced Wednesday the withdrawal of its representative in Manila and said it had stopped accepting applications for Filipino workers on the island, a retaliatory step for the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine Coast Guard last week.
The office of President Ma Ying-jeou said Taiwan regarded an informal apology offered by the Philippines as inadequate. The office of President Ma Ying-jeou said Taiwan regarded an informal apology offered earlier by the Philippines as inadequate.
The diplomatic squabble is the latest sign of high tensions over competing claims in and around the South China Sea among China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.The diplomatic squabble is the latest sign of high tensions over competing claims in and around the South China Sea among China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
The Philippines said the Taiwanese fishing vessel had entered waters in its exclusive economic zone on Thursday and that one of the vessels tried to ram a Philippine Coast Guard ship. The Taiwanese fisherman, Hung Shih-cheng, 65, died from a bullet wound in the neck and his boat was hit with dozens of rounds, Taiwanese officials said.The Philippines said the Taiwanese fishing vessel had entered waters in its exclusive economic zone on Thursday and that one of the vessels tried to ram a Philippine Coast Guard ship. The Taiwanese fisherman, Hung Shih-cheng, 65, died from a bullet wound in the neck and his boat was hit with dozens of rounds, Taiwanese officials said.
Taiwan has said that the shooting occurred at a location that is within exclusive economic zones claimed by both countries. Many jurisdictions around the world have not negotiated clear boundaries for exclusive economic zones that overlap.Taiwan has said that the shooting occurred at a location that is within exclusive economic zones claimed by both countries. Many jurisdictions around the world have not negotiated clear boundaries for exclusive economic zones that overlap.
Mr. Ma’s office said Wednesday that Taiwan’s Navy and Coast Guard would stage an exercise as a show of strength in disputed waters near where the incident occurred. But Taiwanese officials seemed to be resisting some calls for military action.Mr. Ma’s office said Wednesday that Taiwan’s Navy and Coast Guard would stage an exercise as a show of strength in disputed waters near where the incident occurred. But Taiwanese officials seemed to be resisting some calls for military action.
The Central Daily News in Taiwan urged the government to take tough action against the Philippines, saying that “suffering in silence” for fear of antagonizing the United States, an ally of the Philippines, would only mean further international marginalization of the island.The Central Daily News in Taiwan urged the government to take tough action against the Philippines, saying that “suffering in silence” for fear of antagonizing the United States, an ally of the Philippines, would only mean further international marginalization of the island.
On Monday, Taiwanese fishermen protested outside the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, which operates as the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taipei. Taiwan and the Philippines do not maintain official diplomatic relations. In an effort to defuse the diplomatic standoff, a spokesman for President Benigno S. Aquino III said later Wednesday that a presidential representative would convey “deep regret and apology” to the family of the dead fisherman and to the people of Taiwan.
China, which has frosty relations with the Philippines over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, came down Tuesday on the side of Taiwan, which it regards as a breakaway province. The spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said in a statement that Amadeo R. Perez, chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, which operates as the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taipei, would personally deliver the message. Taiwan and the Philippines do not maintain official diplomatic relations.
“We hope the Philippines will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and provide a concrete explanation at an early date,” Hong Lei, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a regular briefing in Beijing. Mr. Lacierda’s statement also said that the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation had begun an inquiry into the shooting, and that it would be “thorough, exhaustive, impartial and expeditious.” In a further note of apology, the statement said: “We understand the grief and hurt of the family and of the people of Taiwan over this unfortunate loss and we empathize with them.”
Mr. Lacierda also asked that the Taiwan government not ban Filipino workers from the island. “We appeal to Taiwan not to involve our Filipino compatriots there,” he said. “They are there working.”
In 2011, the latest year for which data is available, 41,896 Filipinos went to Taiwan to work, according to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. Taiwan is the seventh most popular destination for Filipino workers overseas; the Philippines sends more than a million workers each year to countries around the world, and the money they send home is a mainstay of the country’s economy.
China, which has frosty relations with the Philippines over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, has come down on the side of Taiwan, which it regards as a breakaway province. At a briefing Wednesday in Beijing, a spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office repeated China’s demand that the Philippines investigate the incident.
“We have already emphasized many times that we request the Philippines investigate thoroughly, punish those responsible and give the fishermen a satisfactory response,” said the spokesman, Yang Yi.
The Philippines is challenging China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea through an arbitration case filed with the tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.The Philippines is challenging China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea through an arbitration case filed with the tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Floyd Whaley contributed reporting from Manila.