Taiwan stages exercise amid Philippines row

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Taiwan held a military exercise Thursday in waters near the northern Philippines in response to the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman, after rejecting repeated apologies from Manila.

Taiwan has deemed it "unacceptable" that the Philippines described the fisherman's death as unintended. Taipei has pressed Manila to issue a formal apology by its government, to compensate the fisherman's family and to apprehend the killer.

Manila said it had "gone the extra mile" to appease Taipei and expressed concern that its special envoy sent to the island had been rebuffed.

On Thursday Taiwan sent a destroyer, one frigate and four coastguard ships to waters near the Philippines' Batan island to press its claims in the area, defence authorities said.

The ships went as close as 21 nautical miles west of Batan but stayed within Taiwan's exclusive economic zone, said Rear Admiral Lee Tung-pao.

"The move is aimed to highlight our determination to safeguard sovereignty. The coastguards have vowed to protect our fishermen wherever they are, and we'll support them," Lee said.

The fleet did not encounter any Philippine naval or coastguard vessels.

Two Taiwanese Mirage 2000-5 fighters flew over the fleet at low altitude as the warships tested their anti-aircraft capabilities.