TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Amid rising tensions between Kinmen and Xiamen, Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Jessica Chen questioned on Tuesday (March 12) whether Chinese silt dredging vessels should have been allowed passage in the restricted Kinmen waters.
Premier Chen Chien-jen and Ocean Affairs Council Chairwoman Kuan Bi-ling stated they should not. However, Chen immediately criticized the two while holding up a document during the Legislative Yuan interpellation session, saying, "The Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC) implemented the passage of ferries carrying goods and passengers through the restricted Kinmen waters into Xiamen port on the mainland on December 17, 2015."
"You're dealing with cross-strait affairs, but it's evident that you don't fully understand the history and processes between China and Taiwan," she added.
Standing alongside Premier Chen, Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Chiu Tai-san replied, "Yes, an agreement has already been reached regarding the Liuwudian shipping channel, hence this official document."
In response, Chen Binhua, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said, "It is regrettable that some officials and departments in Taiwan often can’t think straight. I can clearly tell you that channel dredging at Liuwudian is routine."
The Coast Guard Administration stated later that day that dredging vessels are subject to the “Cross-Strait Regulations” and not subject to the 2015 announcement.