Taiwan has described recent Chinese Coast Guard activity east of the island as a “provocative act”, with Defence Minister Wellington Koo warning that the military will continue close coordination with the Coast Guard in responding to such movements.
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, reportedly deployed vessels for what it called a “special maritime law-enforcement operation” following a recent announcement by Japan and the Philippines on maritime boundary discussions. The move drew concern in Taipei, which viewed the patrols as an assertion of Chinese presence in sensitive waters.
Taiwan’s Coast Guard said it deployed ships to warn off the Chinese vessels, which were later reported to have been “expelled” from restricted waters after several hours of confrontation at sea.
Koo told lawmakers that the activity represented not only a physical presence but also what he described as cognitive warfare, accusing China of attempting to project control over eastern waters and challenge Taiwan’s sovereignty.
He added that military and coast guard units would maintain constant coordination, supported by ongoing intelligence sharing to monitor developments across the region.
Chinese state media, meanwhile, released footage of a coast guard officer warning Taiwanese personnel that both sides of the Taiwan Strait fall under “one China”, a stance firmly rejected by Taipei.
Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council has also reported a pattern of increasing maritime pressure in recent months, including operations near outlying islands and the deployment of research vessels in nearby waters.
Officials in Taipei say Chinese naval and coast guard activity around the island has become frequent, with Taiwan continuing to track an extended mission by China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning in the western Pacific region.
