The Taiwan Coast Guard said that Chinese officials boarded a Taiwanese boat and then took it into a Chinese port. This was a further increase in tensions.

China considers democratically governed Taiwan its territory. Since President Lai Ching Te took office in May Beijing has increased pressure on Taipei, accusing him of being a separatist.

Taiwan's Coast Guard said that the fishing boat was working near the Taiwan administered Kinmen Islands, which are located next to the Chinese cities Xiamen, Quanzhou and Xiamen. Two Chinese maritime administration vessels boarded the vessel and seized it on Tuesday night.

Taiwan's Coast Guard said that it sent its own coast guard vessels to help and issued warnings to China, asking them to release the boat. China's ships responded by saying they would not interfere.

Taiwan's ships then back off to avoid conflict, and the Taiwanese vessel was taken to a Chinese harbor.

The China Taiwan Affairs Office does not respond to calls outside office hours.

Since February, Chinese coast guard and maritime enforcement ships have regularly operated around Kinmen after two Chinese fisherman died while trying to escape Taiwan's coastguard. Ben Blanchard, Josie Kao and Ben Blanchard are the reporters; Josie Kao is the editor.