Mainland warships will rescue a Taiwan fishing vessel hijacked by Somali pirates if conditions allow, a military source said yesterday.

No political issues will hinder the decision if the People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy can save the ship, a naval officer said on condition of anonymity.

The 700-ton long-line fishing vessel Win Far 161 was seized early Monday near an island in the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean and has been driven some 1,500 km from land. It is the first vessel from Taiwan hijacked by pirates since 2005.