The DPP held a press conference Monday responding to Chinese Coast Guard crossing Taiwan’s median line following the sinking of a Chinese fishing vessel over the weekend.

The ship Min Long Yu 60877 sank in Kinmen waters after colliding with an unknown vessel last Saturday. Of the seven registered crewmen, four were rescued by nearby ships, and three are still missing. While Taiwanese Coast Guard officials continued search and rescue operations, Chinese Coast Guard ships have begun patrols in the Taiwan Strait, even crossing the median line, supposedly to manage maritime traffic issues and violations.

During the Monday press conference, DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) criticized China of exchanging Taiwan’s humanitarian aid with ruthless expansionism. Wu warned that continuing on would only grow disdain in the hearts of Taiwanese, and urged China to exercise self-control.

DPP Legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) also spoke, saying that Taiwan followed international humanitarian tradition by responding to an emergency rescue situation off the coast of Kinmen. He accused China of taking advantage of a tragic situation to advance their own goals and called on China to stop using accidents, and excuses such as maintaining order to carry out “gray-zone intrusions”.

This maritime incident comes on the heels of a decision by the Kinmen prosecutors Friday to not press charges against Taiwanese Coast Guard after an incident in February which caused the death of two Chinese fishermen. While the Kinmen authorities ruled the Taiwanese Coast Guard did not break any laws, the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office called the findings unacceptable.