BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson for the Chinese mainland on Wednesday urged Taiwan to make public the truth of a recent incident in waters near Kinmen that led to the death of two people on a mainland fishing boat.
Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, also called on relevant parties in Taiwan to hand serious punishments to those responsible for the incident, satisfy reasonable demands of the bereaved families, and issue a formal apology to them.
"We are resolute in protecting our compatriots' legitimate rights and interests, and allow no recurrence of such an incident," Zhu said.
Taiwan authorities' brutal treatment of the fishing boat from Fujian Province on Feb. 14 led to all four people on board falling into the sea, and two of them died.
However, relevant authorities in Taiwan denied any wrongdoing, and attempted to conceal the truth. Certain individuals in Taiwan have also made irresponsible remarks concerning the incident, Zhu said.
She noted that it was not until the bereaved families and compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait made a strong push for the truth that relevant authorities in Taiwan admitted that a vessel from Taiwan had rammed into the fishing boat, causing it to capsize and leading to the casualties. Despite this, the Taiwan side continues to attempt to cover up the truth of the incident and shirk its responsibilities.
Zhu said that the incident was not a sporadic case. Since the Democratic Progressive Party came to power in Taiwan in 2016, similar incidents have occurred on multiple occasions, seriously harming the interests of those in the mainland fishing industry and the sentiment of mainland compatriots, she noted.
(Editor:Fu Bo)
Italy earns 5th Champions League spot for next season because of overall success in Europe
Crackdown on phone scammers leads to cutback in victim numbers
King Charles leaves hospital as Kate recovers at home
French league delays PSG and Marseille games while both still in European competitions
Tipping etiquette: Your questions answered
Joe Biden Inauguration: World hopes for renewed cooperation with US under Biden
Rare PINK elephant is captured playing in a South African waterhole
History with Maple Leafs could help Bruins snap short playoff slump
Telling the story of Taiwan beyond the cross