When there is no communication...

* A Chinese fishing high-speed boat with four fishermen on board capsized on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, near the Kinmen islands while being pursued by the Taiwanese coast guard. The subsequent chase between the parties led to all four Chinese fishermen aboard falling into the water, which resulted in two deaths. Another two are in custody of Taiwanese authorities and recovering in the hospital.

* When the incident first happened, both China and Taiwan kept their respective "cool" and refrained from making claims that would further undermine the already-fragile trust between the two neighbors in the Taiwan Strait. However, things have intensified as official rhetorics from both sides started to point fingers at the other side for wrongdoing in handling the incident. 

* In fact, the Chinese coast guard on February 18 stated that it "will strengthen maritime law enforcement in the waters to help maintain the order of maritime operations." At the minimum, the risks of another similar incident have increased following the toughened position of both sides.

* Since two sides have not maintained channels of communication since 2016, it remains a flashpoint between China and Taiwan over fishing rights. Unless there is a dramatic shift in the DPP administration's policy vis-a-vis China, tensions across the Taiwan Strait will likely remain high before President-elect Lai Ching-teh inaugurates on May 20. It also paints a gloomy picture over cross-Strait relations for the next four years, at least.