Taiwan accuses Chinese coast guard of maritime harassment off eastern coast

Taiwan has accused China of harassing maritime traffic off its eastern seaboard, warning that expanding Chinese coast guard operations may serve as preparation for a future naval blockade.

According to Taiwanese maritime authorities, two Chinese coast guard vessels were monitored conducting operations off the island's eastern coast on October 31. Taiwan dispatched its own ships to track the deployment after Beijing publicly announced the mission. Chinese state media released video footage showing one of the patrol vessels transmitting radio messages that claimed law enforcement authority and offered assistance, alongside images of an unidentified fishing boat.

Taiwan’s coast guard strongly rejected Beijing's legal authority in the area, describing the radio transmissions as an illegitimate attempt to assert control over foreign waters. Officials in Taipei stated that Taiwan retains exclusive sovereign rights and economic jurisdiction over the sea zone east of the main island, adding that China maintains no legal standing there. The agency characterized the maneuvers as power expansion that breaches international law and threatens stability across the region.

Security officials in Taipei believe Beijing is utilizing a combination of military, paramilitary, and civilian maritime forces to rehearse blockade tactics. The waters off eastern Taiwan are viewed by defense planners as indispensable for receiving international supplies and support if a cross-strait conflict or encirclement were to occur. Regular Chinese coast guard activity in this corridor has intensified notably since June.

Maritime friction also surfaced simultaneously further south. Taiwanese authorities confirmed that another Chinese coast guard ship ventured near the Pratas Islands in the northern South China Sea on October 31.

Taiwan has driven Chinese coast guard vessels away from waters surrounding the Pratas Islands 13 times during 2026. The remote coral atoll, situated roughly halfway between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong, lacks a permanent civilian population. Because the outpost sits more than 400 kilometers away from Taiwan's main territory, security analysts have frequently noted its vulnerability to potential Chinese military action.

Beijing continues to claim self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory, a position that authorities in Taipei consistently reject.