Taiwan Coast Guard Drives Away 16 Chinese Vessels in Coordinated 'Maritime Harassment'
Taipei — Taiwan's Coast Guard said on Sunday it had driven away 16 Chinese coast guard, research and fishing vessels involved in simultaneous "maritime harassment" operations around Taiwan's main island and Pratas, also known as Dongsha, according to AFP.
An "unusually large" number of Chinese vessels — including four fishing boats — carried out coordinated operations off Taiwan's eastern, southern and southwestern coasts and around Pratas, the coast guard said in a statement, describing the activity as "hybrid warfare." Some of the vessels entered Taiwan's restricted waters.
The coast guard said its vessels took "forceful action immediately to effectively neutralise the threats," adding: "China is attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and create the false impression of jurisdiction."
Taiwan controls Pratas, in the northern South China Sea. On October 1, the coast guard used a water cannon against a Chinese recreational fishing vessel near Pratas, drawing an angry response from Beijing.
Separately, Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected 2 sorties of PLA aircraft, 5 PLAN vessels and 9 official ships operating around Taiwan up until 6 a.m. on Sunday, with both aircraft sorties crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entering the northern and central parts of Taiwan's air defence identification zone. The ministry said Taiwan's armed forces had monitored the situation and responded.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 台湾海巡署舰艇（资料照片）。照片：Mori／中华民国总统府／Wikimedia Commons（CC BY 2.0）。Taiwan Coast Guard vessels (file photo). Photo: Mori / Office of the President / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
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