China has launched a new coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, intensifying maritime tensions despite growing international concern over its activities near the self-governed island. Beijing said the operation would enforce what it described as law enforcement duties within its jurisdictional waters, while Taiwan strongly rejected the move as unlawful and destabilizing for regional security.
Chinese authorities said the coast guard fleet would conduct regular patrols to protect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime interests. Beijing has increasingly relied on its coast guard, alongside military operations, to reinforce its territorial claims over Taiwan. Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels already operate near the island almost daily as part of sustained pressure on Taipei.
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Meanwhile, Taiwan condemned the latest patrol, describing it as an illegal expansion of authority that violates international law and threatens peace across the Taiwan Strait. Taipei insisted that China has no sovereignty, jurisdiction, or law enforcement powers in waters east of Taiwan. Officials also rejected Beijing’s territorial claims, maintaining that Taiwan exercises authority over its own territory and surrounding waters.
Taiwan’s Coast Guard confirmed it was monitoring two Chinese coast guard vessels operating about 54 nautical miles east of Hualien, home to one of the island’s key air bases. Authorities deployed two Taiwanese patrol ships to closely shadow the Chinese vessels while emphasizing their readiness to take necessary measures against any attempt to interfere with Taiwan’s maritime activities.
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The latest patrol marks the second Chinese coast guard operation near Taiwan’s eastern waters within a month, raising fears of further diplomatic tensions. The dispute has already drawn attention from the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Earlier, Taiwan instructed its vessels to ignore any inspection demands from Chinese coast guard ships, while Beijing continued opposing regional maritime discussions involving Japan and the Philippines.