[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 74 (Thursday, May 23, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E740]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TAIWAN-PHILIPPINES FISHERY DISPUTE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. BLAKE FARENTHOLD

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 2013

  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, May 9, 2013, a Taiwanese 
fishing vessel, the Guang Da Xing No. 28, was fired upon by a 
Philippine government vessel in waters 164 nautical miles southeast of 
Eluanbi, the southernmost part of Taiwan in waters considered by both 
Taiwan and the Philippines to be within Taiwan's 200 nautical-mile-
from-shore Exclusive Economic Zone.
   The Taiwanese fishing boat was severely damaged and suffered engine 
failure, causing it to float adrift. Crew member Hong Shi-cheng, a 
Taiwanese national, was shot and killed. The Philippine government 
vessel sailed away without offering any assistance.
   A government vessel's shooting of an unarmed fishing boat is an act 
of violence, and is in violation of international law. Therefore, we 
call upon the Philippines to promptly and sincerely respond to the 
requests of the Taiwan government to apologize, punish the 
perpetrators, and provide proper compensation to the victim's family 
based on humanitarian grounds.
   It is imperative that these two close and longstanding allies of the 
United States work together for an immediate and peaceful resolution of 
this incident. The circumstances that have given rise to such an 
incident must be addressed so as to guarantee as much as possible that 
such an incident will never happen again. Ultimately, this means the 
negotiation of an agreement or treaty on marine fishing between Manila 
and Taipei.
   During this difficult time, we express our condolences to the family 
and friends of Mr. Hong.

                          ____________________