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The missile did
not explode but pierced the boat and killed one Taiwan
fisherman, officials said.
The ship-to-air missile was mis-fired from a 500-ton Navy patrol
vessel during pre-inspection in southern Taiwan ahead of a mock
exercise, Taiwan's Navy Chief of Staff Mei Chia-shu told
reporters.
"That this is politically motivated, or this is to create crisis
in the surrounding situation, this is not the case," Taiwan
Defence Ministry spokesman Chen Chung-chi told reporters.
Initial findings indicate the missile did not explode and that
it sank into the sea.
China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when Mao
Zedong's forces won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek's
Nationalists fled to the island.
Beijing has vowed to bring Taiwan under its rule, by force if
necessary.
Taiwan's Defence Ministry said it had not detected irregular
movements by China's military after the accident.
The incident came as Chinese President Xi Jinping warned on
Friday that the biggest threat to the ruling Communist Party is
corruption, as he used the party's birthday to also warn against
any moves in Taiwan towards independence.
(Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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