China's coast guard enters Taiwan's waters again; experts flag as deliberate provocation

Taipei [Taiwan], July 19 : Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) confirmed on Wednesday that it had dispatched a patrol vessel to expel two Chinese coast guard ships that illegally entered Taiwan-controlled waters near Dongsha Island in the South China Sea, Focus Taiwan reported.

According to the CGA Dongsha-Nansha Branch, Chinese coast guard vessel 3105 was detected at approximately 12:50 am on Wednesday, operating about 25 nautical miles south of Dongsha Island, which is administered by Taiwan. In response, Taiwan dispatched its patrol ship Hsun Hu No. 8 to monitor the situation and assert sovereignty.

As Hsun Hu No. 8 approached 3105 around 1:17 am, a second Chinese coast guard vessel, 3103, was also identified 22 nautical miles southwest of the island. Both vessels were warned and closely tracked by Taiwanese personnel, the CGA stated, according to Focus Taiwan.

The two Chinese ships exited the area around 11:35 am, with the Taiwanese patrol ship monitoring them throughout their presence in the area. The CGA highlighted that neither of the Chinese vessels had activated their automatic identification systems (AIS), a deliberate move to obscure their movements and avoid detection, a tactic increasingly used by China in contested maritime regions, Focus Taiwan reported.

The CGA did not rule out the possibility that the incursion was a strategic manoeuvre by Beijing, designed to probe Taiwan's maritime defence capacity and stretch its resources, particularly during the nation's ongoing Han Kuang military exercises.

Focus Taiwan noted that Chinese coast guard intrusions have become more frequent in recent years, especially around Dongsha and Kinmen. The CGA described these incursions as part of China's broader campaign to destabilise the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific region, undermining international cooperation and trust-building efforts.

To counter such threats, the CGA said it will continue deploying large patrol ships to the Dongsha area to uphold Taiwan's sovereignty and safeguard maritime rights. The administration also urged democratic allies to stand together in defending peace, freedom, and stability in the Taiwan Strait and broader Indo-Pacific region, Focus Taiwan reported.

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