On August 13, the Taiwan Han Guang 42 live ammunition exercise entered its 9th day. Four Chinese coast guard ships intruded into the waters near Kinmen Island, with the Coast Guard Administration of the Ocean Affairs Council of the Republic of China’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch pointing out that during the Han Guang exercise, the Chinese coast guard utilized gray zone tactics to disrupt, attempting to spread false information about its jurisdiction and exhibiting strong provocative intentions.
The Coast Guard Administration of the Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch issued a press release stating that on the afternoon of the 13th, the 12th patrol zone detected four Chinese coast guard ships, numbered “14609,” “14531,” “14606,” and “14530,” approaching the restricted waters of Kinmen. Patrol boats were promptly dispatched to deploy defense measures.
At 2:50 p.m. on the 13th, the Chinese coast guard ships sailed into the restricted waters south of Lieyu Island in Kinmen and intruded into the prohibited area boundary. The Coast Guard vessel immediately conducted one-on-one monitoring and broadcast warnings in both Chinese and English to drive them away. All Chinese coast guard ships departed from the waters near Kinmen at 5:08 p.m.
The Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch emphasized that the Han Guang exercise is a significant annual military training for the country and a crucial verification period for the transformation of the coast guard for wartime readiness. The Chinese coast guard’s use of gray zone tactics to disrupt, attempting to spread false information about its jurisdiction, carries a strong sense of provocation.
The branch further stated that the Coast Guard Administration, being at the forefront of maritime defense, not only participates in the Han Guang exercise but also maintains vigilant surveillance of the surrounding waters, deploying vessels around the clock to respond to various threats appropriately.
The Coast Guard Administration declared that “regardless of China’s unilateral declarations or provocative actions, they cannot shake the fact that we effectively govern the waters around Kinmen.” The Coast Guard Administration will continue to strengthen its defense resilience, flexibly adjust its duties, and fully defend national sovereignty to ensure maritime security.