ILLUSTRATION. Illustration of the Malaysian flag. REUTERS / Lim Huey Teng
Source: Reuters | Editor: Herlina Kartika Dewi
KONTAN.CO.ID – KUALA LUMPUR. Malaysian maritime authorities said they had detained 60 Chinese nationals and six Chinese-registered fishing vessels that trespassed into Malaysian waters.
Quoting Reuters, Saturday (10/10), Malaysia reported 89 cases of intrusions by Chinese coast guards and naval vessels between 2016-2019, amid rising tensions between the United States and China over Beijing’s claims to large parts of the resource-rich South China Sea, which also is a major trade route.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the fishing vessel and its crew were detained during an operation off the coast of the southern state of Johor on Friday.
“A further examination found that all the vessels registered in Qinhuangdao, China, were manned by six captains and 54 crew members who were Chinese nationals between 31 and 60 years of age,” said MMEA regional director Mohd Zulfadli Nayan in a statement.
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The MMEA said the ships, which were not carrying cargo while they were detained, were believed to be en route to Mauritania but had to stop due to some damage.
Earlier this year, a Chinese research vessel spent a month conducting surveys in Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone amid a dispute with a Malaysian oil exploration vessel near disputed waters.
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