Taiwan demands China returns fishing boat seized by coastguard

Maritime authorities say they called off pursuit of commandeered vessel to avoid inflaming conflict

Taiwan has demanded that Beijing releases a Taiwanese fishing boat that was boarded by the Chinese coastguard and steered to a port in mainland China.

The Dajinman 88 was intercepted by two Chinese vessels late on Tuesday near the Kinmen archipelago, which lies a short distance off China's coast but is controlled by Taiwan, the Taiwanese coastguard said.