Mainland coast guard's patrol in Xiamen-Kinmen waters to safeguard maritime order: spokesperson

BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Saturday said regular law enforcement patrols conducted by the mainland coast guard in Xiamen-Kinmen waters help maintain the order of maritime operations.

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the comments in response to a media query about the mainland coast guard's recent law enforcement patrol in the so-called "prohibited waters" near Kinmen, an island administered by the Taiwan region, located off the coast of east China's Xiamen city.

Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu are all parts of China, he said, adding that the Xiamen-Kinmen waters have long served as a traditional fishing area for both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and the so-called "prohibited or restricted waters" do not exist.

He noted that the mainland coast guard's patrols also serve to safeguard the lives and property of fishermen from across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen further demanded Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities cease the arbitrary detention of mainland fishing vessels and their crews, as well as the dangerous and violent treatment of mainland fishermen.

"Otherwise, the DPP authorities will have to face all ensuing consequences," Chen said. ■