TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) announced Thursday (April 18) that it has yet to receive an official response from the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) regarding the capsizing of a speedboat near Kinmen.
The statement was made by SEF spokeswoman Tsai Meng-chun during a press conference held Thursday afternoon.
SEF Chair David Lee urged both sides of the strait to prioritize the people and engage in pragmatic dialogue without setting political preconditions. The incident in question occurred on Feb. 14, when an unidentified Chinese vessel, lacking a name, ship certificate, and port of registry, capsized in the waters between Kinmen and Xiamen.
A soldier surnamed Hu from Kinmen is still stranded in China and has yet to return. The case is currently being handled by the competent authority.
The SEF, a semi-official organization set up by Taiwan to handle exchanges with the China, has been seeking a response from its counterpart, the ARATS, about the incident. The lack of response has raised concerns about cross-strait communication on matters of public safety.