The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration stated that following the intrusion of 15 Chinese coast guard ships into the waters near Kinmen on the 15th, this morning (16th) at around 8 a.m., the Coast Guard again detected four Chinese coast guard ships, and Taiwan’s four patrol boats monitored and drove them away.
The 12th Patrol Zone of the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration in Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu stated that two Chinese coast guard ships were spotted in the waters surrounding Kinmen around 2 p.m. on the 15th. The patrol boats were quickly deployed to deploy to the area near the restricted waters line and detected two more Chinese coast guard ships that did not have their Automatic Identification System (AIS) activated.
In the afternoon of the 15th, from 2:43 to 2:59 p.m., four Chinese coast guard ships with identification numbers “14605”, “14604”, “14608”, and “14521” entered Taiwan’s waters in two groups from the east and west of Kinmen.
The four patrol boats of the Taiwan Coast Guard immediately deployed to monitor and track alongside the Chinese coast guard ships, and through radio broadcasts in both Chinese and English, strongly demanded that the Chinese coast guard ships change course and leave. Under the monitoring of the Taiwan patrol boats, the Chinese coast guard ships sailed out of the restricted waters of Kinmen at 5:05 p.m.
On the morning of today, at around 8 a.m., the 12th Patrol Zone once again detected Chinese coast guard ships appearing in the waters around Kinmen. The patrol boats were quickly deployed to the area near the restricted waters line to respond.
At 8:45 a.m., Chinese coast guard ships with identification numbers “14605”, “14604”, “14608”, and “14521” adopted the same pattern as on the 15th, sailing into Taiwan’s waters in two groups from the east and west of Kinmen, ultimately forming a convoy sailing in the southern restricted waters of Kinmen.
The four patrol boats of the Taiwan Coast Guard were immediately deployed to block and intercept, and through radio broadcasts in Chinese and English, strongly demanded that the coast guard ships change course and leave. Under the monitoring of the Taiwan patrol boats, the Chinese coast guard ships sailed out of the restricted waters of Kinmen at 11 a.m. today.
The Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu Patrol Zone stated that the Chinese coast guard continues to provoke and disrupt the Republic of China in the gray zone of conflict. To date, they have violated the waters around Kinmen 71 times. The Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu Patrol Zone and the 12th Patrol Zone maintain a high intensity of monitoring and response capabilities around the clock. Once Chinese coast guard provocations are detected, they adhere to a firm law enforcement stance, immediately monitor and drive them away, and publish enforcement footage to defend national sovereignty and maintain stability and morale among the people.