Taiwan Expels 16 Chinese Vessels From 4 Maritime Zones
Taiwan’s Coast Guard intercepted 16 Chinese vessels engaged in harassment operations across four maritime zones.
Taiwan’s Coast Guard has intercepted and expelled 16 Chinese vessels engaged in coordinated maritime operations near the island, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions. The fleet included 12 official ships, such as coast guard cutters and research vessels, and four fishing boats, all operating across four strategic maritime zones.
The Chinese vessels conducted simultaneous operations around Taiwan’s perimeter. Near Kaohsiung, a research vessel and a fishing boat disrupted the Taiwanese fishing boat Wan Fa Cheng 11, prompting the patrol ship Pingtung to intervene and protect the local crew.
Targeted Operations Across Taiwanese Waters: Chinese Vessels
Off the eastern coast near Hualien, the Chinese scientific research ship Tansuo-3 entered restricted waters. A Taiwanese patrol boat intercepted it and issued repeated broadcast warnings, forcing the vessel to retreat. Further south, near Eluanbi, the research ship Beidiao 996 breached restricted waters after midnight. It only changed course after receiving 12 radio warnings from a Hengchun unit patrol vessel.
In the disputed South China Sea, China Coast Guard cutters 3301 and 3303 circled the Dongsha Atoll, a territory claimed by both Taipei and Beijing. Taiwanese coast guard ships Qijin and Taichung expelled the vessels by noon, the 12th such expulsion this year.
Taiwanese authorities condemned the operations as part of a hybrid warfare strategy to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The coordinated actions, involving both official and civilian vessels, were seen as an attempt to assert false jurisdiction over Taiwanese waters.
Escalating Maritime Pressure
The standoff reflects a broader surge in Chinese maritime activity. Official data shows 244 Chinese coast guard, research, and government ships detected near Taiwan in July, up from just 30 in May. These incursions coincide with almost-daily deployments of Chinese warships around the island.
China began conducting law enforcement patrols east of Taiwan in June, which Taipei has called provocative and expansionist. The operations follow recent diplomatic moves by Japan and the Philippines, which Beijing views as encroaching on its territorial claims. A Chinese officer stated during the patrols: «Our maritime law-enforcement formation is carrying out a special traffic law-enforcement mission in the waters of the Taiwan Strait. Do not interfere with our official duties.»
El Ministerio de Defensa taiwanés mantendrá reuniones técnicas con aliados regionales en los próximos 15 días para coordinar respuestas, según lo anunciado en el comunicado del 12 de agosto. El plazo para la presentación de informes sobre estos encuentros vence el 30 de agosto.
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