Taiwan's Coast Guard to Open New Base
Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) plans to open a new base in disputed waters north of Taiwan in May 2016.
The new base at Port of Taipei in New Taipei is expected to strengthen the Coast Guard's enforcement of maritime law.
The CGA said that the location of the new facility would allow it to respond quickly to fishing disputes and foreign fishing vessels in Taiwanese waters. The construction of the base comes amid disputes in waters surrounding the Diaoyutai Islands (100 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan) in the East China Sea and other areas northwest of Taiwan.
The Diaoyutai Islands are claimed by Taiwan, Japan and China. There have also been constant confrontations between Japan and China in the disputed area.
The base, which will cover an area of 5.96 hectares, will include a harbor 638 meters long and nine meters deep, where the CGA's 3,000-ton patrol and rescue ship will be able to dock.