Taiwan and the Philippines have reached a consensus on some outstanding fisheries issues, Taipei’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday, bringing the neighboring countries one step closer to avoiding fishing disputes in the future.
On Oct. 22, the two countries agreed to set up a direct hotline, establish a cooperative enforcement mechanism, create an immediate reporting system for fishing-related incidents, and secure the release of fishing vessels and crews detained in the future, all effective immediately, said ministry spokeswoman Anna Kao.
The measures were first decided in a June 14 preparatory meeting and confirmed during the second bilateral meeting, which took place Oct. 21-22, she said.
Importantly, Taipei and Manila have agreed to avoid using “force and violence” when enforcing maritime laws and regulations, which will help ensure the safety of fishermen from either country, she said.
Although Taiwan and the Philippines did not issue a joint statement on their consensus, both sides signed the minutes of the talks, she said.
Taiwan called for the talks after a Taiwanese fisherman was fatally shot by the Philippine Coast Guard in May.
The foreign ministry is taking a step-by-step approach to preventing similar incidents in the future, a process which involves coordinating with different agencies from both countries, she said.
The Central News Agency