Chinese Coast Guard Ship Leaves Pratas After 1-Day Standoff as Taiwan Flags 100 Vessels Nearby
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 24
Chinese Coast Guard Ship Leaves Pratas After 1-Day Standoff as Taiwan Flags 100 Vessels Nearby
8 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 24
A Chinese coast guard ship sailed away from waters near Taiwan-controlled Pratas late Sunday after a daylong radio confrontation with Taiwan's coast guard over sovereignty.
Taiwan said the Chinese vessel unusually asserted both sovereignty and jurisdiction over the islands and stayed close to the atoll longer than past incursions.
More than 400 km from Taiwan, the lightly defended Pratas are policed by the coast guard rather than the military, making them a sensitive pressure point in the northern South China Sea.
Taipei is already on alert for more Chinese activity after Xi Jinping discussed Taiwan with Donald Trump this month; a senior Taiwan official said 100 Chinese ships were operating across the first island chain on Saturday.
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