Taiwan has accused China of escalating maritime pressure after its coast guard drove away 16 Chinese vessels involved in coordinated operations around the island and a disputed South China Sea territory.
Taiwan’s coast guard said on Sunday that the vessels, comprising coast guard ships, research vessels and four fishing boats, operated simultaneously off the eastern, southern and southwestern coasts of Taiwan’s main island and around Pratas.
Some of the vessels reportedly entered Taiwan’s restricted waters.
The coast guard described the operations as “maritime harassment” and accused Beijing of using a combination of tactics amounting to hybrid warfare.
It said its personnel took immediate action to neutralise the perceived threats, condemning what it called China’s attempt to create the impression that it had jurisdiction over the surrounding waters.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and asserts authority over waters around the island. Taipei rejects Beijing’s claims, while China has repeatedly threatened to use force to bring Taiwan under its control.
The latest incident follows a confrontation on 1 October, when Taiwan’s coast guard used a water cannon against a Chinese recreational fishing vessel near Pratas, also known as Dongsha. The action drew an angry response from Beijing.
Taiwan controls Pratas, located in the northern part of the South China Sea, but China also claims the territory.
Taiwanese official data indicate that China has increased its maritime deployments around the island in recent months. A record 244 Chinese coast guard, research and other government vessels were detected around Taiwan’s main island in July, compared with 55 in June and 30 in May.
In the first 21 days of August, Taiwan detected 152 vessels. About 60 per cent of the vessels recorded were coast guard ships, while research vessels and other government boats made up the remainder.
The figures exclude Chinese military warships, which are deployed around Taiwan on an almost daily basis.
Beijing began law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan in June, a move Taipei described as provocative and an attempt to expand China’s influence.
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