China says no banned areas around Taiwanese islands after two killed

BEIJING: There are no off limits or restricted areas for fishing around a group of Taiwanese islands close to China’s coast and Beijing reserves the right to take further measures after two Chinese nationals died near the islands, the government said.

Taiwan on Thursday defended the actions of its coast guard after two people on a Chinese speedboat, which got too close to a frontline Taiwanese island, died when their boat overturned while trying to flee a coast guard ship. Two others survived.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained in recent years about Chinese fishing boats and other vessels operating in Taiwan-controlled waters, especially around the Kinmen and Matsu islands which sit a short distance from China’s coast.

Late on Saturday, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which has already condemned Taipei for the incident near Kinmen’s Beiding islet, said the deaths had caused “strong indignation” in China.