Taiwan: Four Chinese coast guard vessels enter Kinmen waters twice in a day

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) stated that four Chinese coast guard vessels entered the waters of the Taiwanese island Kinmen twice on Friday, as reported by Focus Taiwan.

According to the CGA, the Chinese vessels first entered Kinmen’s waters at 8:50 am (local time) from various points, including Fuxingyu, Zhaishan, Liaoluo, and the southern entrance of Beiding. In response, the CGA dispatched four patrol boats, which monitored the Chinese vessels and issued warnings in both Mandarin and English for them to leave, Focus Taiwan reported.

The Chinese vessels exited the area by around 11 am but re-entered the restricted waters at 2:45 pm. The CGA once again sent patrol vessels to monitor the situation, and by 5 pm, the Chinese vessels had left the area, as reported by Focus Taiwan.

The CGA stated that the Chinese coast guard’s actions posed a threat to naval safety by intruding into key maritime channels. The administration warned that such actions would deepen the divide between Taiwan and China, making any potential dialogue more difficult. It called on China to cease these incursions and reiterated its commitment to safeguarding Taiwan’s maritime security and sovereignty.

Due to the close proximity of Kinmen County to Xiamen, China, the waters around Kinmen are considered Chinese territorial waters. As a result, Taiwan has designated certain areas around the Kinmen Islands as “prohibited” and “restricted” waters, ranging from 1,500 meters to 10,000 meters from the shore, Focus Taiwan reported.

Since a Chinese speedboat capsized in February 2023 while being pursued by a CGA vessel near Kinmen, the China Coast Guard has repeatedly entered Taiwan-controlled waters near the islands, asserting its right to patrol the area. The capsizing incident led to the deaths of two Chinese crew members.