ANKARA

Japanese and Taiwanese coast guards have conducted a joint search and rescue drill, with one of the island's vessels recently making a refueling stop in Japan, local media reported on Thursday.

The refueling stop was made as part of the Taiwan coast guard's high seas patrol mission to protect fishing boats. A similar stop was made by a Taiwanese vessel in Japan last year.

The patrol vessel, which departed from Kaohsiung Port on June 21, is expected to return to Taiwan on Aug. 14, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The latest drill was conducted on the heels of escalating tensions between China and Taiwan over a slew of issues, including defense and military cooperation between Taipei and Washington.

China considers Taiwan as its "break away" province, whereas Taipei insists on its independence.

In June, a different Taiwan coast guard vessel anchored in Honolulu during a similar fishery patrol mission, according to Taiwanese media.

Taiwan's coast guard cooperates with the island's Fisheries Agency to carry out two or three high-seas fishery patrol missions every year.