Taiwan Coast Guard Logs 13th Chinese Intrusion Near Pratas Islands
A standoff between vessels occurred Saturday as Chinese patrols increase in waters east of the island.
By Benjamin Mahmoud ·
Taiwan’s coast guard recorded the 13th Chinese intrusion near the Pratas Islands this year after a vessel entered restricted waters southwest of the main island early Saturday. The incident involved 16 Chinese vessels in total this year, according to Taipei officials.
The standoff intensified when a Taiwanese coast guard ship confronted the Chinese vessel and requested it leave. At the closest point of contact, the two ships were separated by just one nautical mile, or 1.9 kilometers.
Taiwan’s coast guard accused Beijing of harassment. It called on China to immediately cease these pointless acts of harassment, marking the latest friction in a series of maritime encounters.
Beijing maintains that the waters under patrol fall within its jurisdiction. Chinese officials assert that their forces are enforcing maritime rights and interests in the region.
The latest incident coincides with a broader increase in Chinese maritime activity. On Saturday, China’s coast guard announced it had dispatched a group of vessels for a routine law enforcement patrol east of Taiwan. The agency stated it would continue to intensify patrols in waters it claims as its own.
This escalation follows diplomatic concerns raised in June. France, Germany, and Britain issued a joint statement at the time expressing alarm over Chinese activities east of Taiwan. The three nations stated that these operations endangered regional stability.
Source: The Hour
