TAIPEI - Taiwan has begun removing anti-ship barricades on its offshore island of Kinmen, the latest sign of its warming relationship with China, the semi-official Central News Agency said on Sunday.

The local government of Kinmen, also known as Quemoy, has started extracting the barricades, the Taiwan agency said, in a sign of easing political tensions between Taiwan and China.

Beijing has claimed self-ruled Taiwan since 1949, when Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists felt to Taiwan. China has vowed to bring Taiwan under its rule, by force if necessary.

The barricades are rows of spikes rooted on cement bases, slanted at an angle to stop warships from landing troops ashore.

In June, Taiwan military officials agreed to remove them ahead of a mass swim across the Taiwan Strait in mid-August between the southeast Chinese city of Xiamen and Kinmen.

Cross-straits relations have been improving since Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou from the Nationalist Party, which once ruled the whole of China, took office in May 2008.

Even though tensions have eased and trade ties have been closer over the past year, Ma remains concerned over China-related military issues.

Earlier this month, Ma rejected Beijing's call to demilitarise the air space along the middle line dividing Taiwan and China due to national security concerns.

(Reporting by Lee Chyen Yee; Editing by Jon Boyle)