Taiwan on Wednesday recalled its envoy to the Philippines and suspended recruitment process for Filipino workers over Manila's handling of the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippines coast guard last Thursday.
Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou's office expressed "strong dissatisfaction" over an apology issued by the Philippines representative in Taipei, saying the Philippines government lacked sincerity and was offering "reckless and perfunctory responses,"
Taiwan's Premier Jiang Yi-huah also registered displeasure over the apology, saying Taipei wants to be informed about whether the culprit will be charged, jailed or dismissed.
"The shooting was conducted by one of its civil servants, and its government could not evade the responsibility," the premier said adding Taiwan will not accept anything short of a Philippines government apology.
Jiang said the Taiwanese navy and coast guard will stage a two-day military drill in the disputed Bashi Strait to showcase the country's naval strength.
The incident early reported by China websites showing a map in Balintang Channel but the late report claimed to be Bashi Channel, a waterway passage in between Y'ami Island of the Philippines and Orchid Island controlled by Taiwan which also claimed by the Philippines.
Taipei has also demanded compensation for the victim's family and the commencement of bilateral fishing talks which the Philippines earlier admit to compensate the victim.
Early on Wednesday, Antonio Basilio, head of the Philippines Representative Office in Taiwan, apologized over the incident, after a three-day deadline set by Taiwan for an apology expired, the BBC reported.
Basilio said Manila had agreed to compensate the fisherman's family and conduct a joint investigation into the incident.
Earlier Reported by Chinese News that the Incident happened in "Balintang Channel" a place near Babuyan Island which is not disputed by any countries. Going North to Taiwan from Luzon Islands would be Basco Batanes, Itbayat Island, North island and Y'ami island. in 2006 China listed 2 Filipino Police who shoot and killed Taiwanese Fishermen fishing 500 Meters from the shore near Basco Batanes.
"The Filipino people and the government understand the hurt and grief that the Taiwanese people have felt as result of the death of one of their own fellow citizens," Basilio said.
Philippines coast guard personnel opened fire on the Taiwanese boat, the Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28, from a vessel that belonged to the fisheries division of the Philippines Department of Agriculture, in the disputed Bashi Strait, between Taiwan and the northern Philippines, last Thursday.
Previously, Philippines officials said the shooting was in self-defense because the Taiwanese boat was about to ram BFAR a Philippines ship.
China has sought to show common cause with Taiwan on the issue since Beijing regards Taiwan as a rebel region that needs to be reunited with the mainland, although Taiwan gained independence in 1950.
Approximately 87,000 Filipinos work in Taiwan, many are employed as domestic workers and also in the manufacturing sector.
The South China Sea and West Philippine Sea region has long been a bone of contention among several South East Asian nations, with overlapping territorial claims by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei leading to tensions in recent months.
With report from International Business Times
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