Taiwan Coast Guard Adopts 1-for-1 Shadowing of Chinese Ships as Beijing Steps Up Maritime Pressure
Updated
Updated · 台北時報 · Jun 20
Taiwan Coast Guard Adopts 1-for-1 Shadowing of Chinese Ships as Beijing Steps Up Maritime Pressure
1 articles · Updated · 台北時報 · Jun 20
Summary
Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said it now matches each Chinese vessel with a corresponding patrol ship, using rotating “shadowing and monitoring” to keep intruders out of jurisdictional waters without using force.
The shift follows what Taipei calls a sharper Chinese push at sea, including the research vessel Tongji circling Taiwan on May 7 and 14 and a first-seen joint scientific vessel-coast guard operation near Pratas this month.
Officials said some Chinese vessels made sudden course changes and entered prohibited waters, while research ship Xiang Yang Hong 22 was also spotted in restricted waters off Yilan County during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday.
Ocean Affairs Council officials said the approach is meant to deny Beijing any pretext to escalate while asserting Taiwan’s enforcement authority around waters east of Taiwan, Pratas and Itu Aba.
Taiwan protests incursions into its 'restricted waters,' but do these unilateral claims have any standing under international law?
As China's gray zone tactics aim to exhaust its fleet, can Taiwan's 'shadowing' strategy survive a prolonged war of attrition?
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Pratas Islands Under Pressure: Taiwan’s Shadowing Strategy and China’s Expanding Gray-Zone Operations in 2026
Overview
In June 2026, China intensified its military and quasi-military operations in the South China Sea, focusing on asserting sovereignty claims around Taiwan. This led to frequent confrontations, especially near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands, which are over 400 kilometers from Taiwan’s main island and primarily defended by Taiwan’s Coast Guard. As China increased its coast guard and navy deployments, Taiwan responded with a 'shadowing and monitoring' strategy to assert its rights and counter Beijing’s actions. The situation has escalated regional tensions, with Taiwanese officials condemning China’s behavior as highly provocative and highlighting the vulnerability of the Pratas Islands.