Four Chinese coast guard ships intruded into the waters near Kinmen today (13th), while Taiwanese patrol vessels were dispatched to monitor the situation. The Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu Division of the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration stated that they immediately initiated a one-on-one monitoring approach and used broadcasts in Chinese and English as well as other methods to prevent the Chinese ships from advancing further. The Chinese coast guard ships departed the waters near Kinmen at 11:08 a.m.
The Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu Division of the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration announced in a press release that around 8 a.m. this morning, the 12th Patrol Zone detected four Chinese coast guard ships with the identification numbers “14608,” “14531,” “14607,” and “14529” behaving abnormally close to the restricted waters near Kinmen. In response, patrol vessels were promptly dispatched to the boundary of the restricted waters to prepare for any escalation.
According to the division, at 8:52 a.m. today, the Chinese coast guard ships sailed in a single-file formation from the south of Lieyu Island into the restricted waters near Kinmen. The Taiwanese patrol vessels immediately initiated one-on-one monitoring, gathered evidence throughout the encounter, and used broadcasts in Chinese and English as well as other measures to prevent the Chinese ships from advancing further. The Chinese coast guard ships eventually departed the waters near Kinmen at 11:08 a.m.
The division noted that the intrusion by the Chinese coast guard into the waters near Kinmen was seen as a tactic of “false law enforcement, true expansion of power,” with an attempt to disrupt the status quo and posing a serious threat to maritime safety and navigation order.
The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration called on the Chinese coast guard to immediately cease any activities that could lead to conflict or escalate tensions. They affirmed their commitment to deploying vessels round the clock to closely monitor the situation and resolutely defend national sovereignty and maritime security.