Taiwan deployed coast guard vessels after detecting Chinese government ships near its eastern waters
June 7, 2026: Taiwan’s coast guard said it deployed multiple vessels on Sunday after detecting four Chinese government ships operating east of the island. According to Taipei, the Chinese vessels departed from Xiamen, prompting Taiwan to send more than five coast guard ships to monitor the situation. National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu also shared a video showing Taiwanese authorities warning Chinese vessels to leave what they described as waters outside China’s jurisdiction.
Taiwan accused Beijing of conducting a “law enforcement operation” that violated international law and challenged Taiwan’s maritime rights. The coast guard stressed that China holds no sovereign rights in the waters east of Taiwan and pledged to respond appropriately to any activities it considers provocative. The latest development follows reports that Chinese coast guard and survey ships recently carried out a coordinated operation near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea.
China said the operation was linked to planned maritime boundary talks between Japan and the Philippines, which Beijing opposes. The incident comes amid growing cooperation between Tokyo and Manila on maritime issues and increasing Chinese naval and coast guard activity in disputed waters. Taiwan has described Beijing’s recent actions as attempts to create the impression of Chinese jurisdiction, further heightening tensions in the region.