The ROC Ministry of National Defense staged a patrol involving naval and air forces in waters south of Taiwan proper May 16 in a move to demonstrate the government’s determination to protect fishing rights.
Ships participating in the two-day patrol included Kidd-class destroyer Magong and Lafayette-class frigate Cheng De, along with Coast Guard Administration patrol vessels CG Tainan and CG Wei-Hsin, both of 2,000 tons, and the 500-ton CG De-Shin, while the air force dispatched two Mirage 2000 jet fighters, an MND official said.
The CG Tainan sailed 29 nautical miles south of the 20th parallel north, the provisional limit of fishing grounds protected by the ROC government, the official said. Drill maneuvers involved rescue operations, signals and communications, he added.
MND Navy Command Headquarters said it will uphold the principle of supporting the CGA in its mission to safeguard fishermen.
“We will carry out sea patrols, surveillance and response missions based on the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea and relevant ROC laws, while strengthening operations and training related to the protection of fishermen,” the MND official said. (KML-THN)
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