Taiwan is handing a retired coast guard patrol ship to the Philippines, and the government says a signed agreement bars Manila from ever using it against Taiwanese fishing boats — reassuring for fishermen, but only as strong as enforcement proves to be.

• The refurbished decommissioned vessel is part of maritime cooperation with the Philippines, aimed at shoring up security along the first island chain.
• Ocean Affairs Council head Kuan Bi-ling says the deal is strictly civilian use: no weapons, no military role, and no law enforcement against Taiwan's fishing boats.
• If Manila breaks the terms, Taiwan can cancel the contract and demand the ship back.
• Opposition lawmaker Hsu Yu-chen raised the 2013 Guang Da Xing No. 28 case, when Philippine officers shot and killed a Taiwanese boat captain, warning the ship could be turned on Taiwanese fishermen.
• Premier Cho Jung-tai says protecting fishermen's rights comes first and the government will explain the agreement's terms to them.

Outlook: Expect pressure on the government to publish the agreement's conditions and penalty clauses before the handover goes ahead.