China recently seized a Taiwanese fishing boat near its coast on the grounds of illegal fishing.
This incident has been perceived by Taiwan as an act of psychological warfare, according to a top Taiwan security official.
The seizure, which occurred late on Tuesday, saw Chinese officials boarding the boat and taking it to a Chinese port.
As reported by Reuters, the trawler was fishing for squid in Chinese waters near the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen Islands, which was seen as a violation of a summer fishing ban according to Chinese authorities.
Heightened Tensions
The incident comes at a time of increasing tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
China, which views Taiwan as its territory, has intensified its pressure on Taipei since the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te in May.
Beijing accuses Lai of being a "separatist."
Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen claims that China is acting unusually.
"We must continue to analyze whether this is a cognitive warfare operation and will fully assess what the motivations are for the Chinese communists," Tsai told reporters at parliament.
China's Justification
China's Taiwan Affairs Office said the seizure was "normal law enforcement" to protect fishery resources and the environment from illegal fishing.
"The relevant departments will deal with it in accordance with the law and regulations," they stated.
Taiwan's coast guard noted that China has seized Taiwanese trawlers before for illegal fishing but usually released them after fines were paid.
This seizure involved three Indonesian nationals among the five fishermen on board.
Strategic Implications
According to a Reuters report, the seizure shows China's claim of sovereignty over the Taiwan Strait, which Taiwan and the United States regard as an international waterway.
Taiwan has complained for years about China's "grey zone" activities — aggressive actions that stop short of war but are meant to intimidate, such as flying surveillance balloons over Taiwan.
