BEIJING, July 31 - China’s coast guard said on Friday that it conducted patrols it described as routine law enforcement in waters to the east of Taiwan, prompting a sharp reaction from Taipei which characterized the activity as a political effort to expand Beijing’s control.
In a statement, the Chinese coast guard identified one of the leading ships as the Xiushan and said it would continue to intensify such patrols. The force’s spokesperson, Jiang Lue, said: "Since July, the Xiushan task group had been strengthening control over the relevant waters to effectively ensure orderly navigation and activities." Jiang added that the operations were intended to safeguard "the legitimate and lawful rights and interests, as well as the lives and property of fishermen on both sides of the Strait."
Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said it dispatched vessels, including a patrol ship named the Taipei, to monitor the Chinese coast guard ships and accused Beijing of carrying out "fake law enforcement, real expansion of power." The Taiwanese authority reported detecting two Chinese coast guard vessels, the Xiushan and the Chongming, in the area on Friday.
According to Taiwan’s account, one of the Chinese vessels drifted about 151 nautical miles east of Lanyu, also known as Orchid Island, while the other was located roughly 43 nautical miles to the island’s northeast. Taiwan said its vessels were tracking the movements and reiterated a commitment to "take all necessary measures to defend national sovereignty" and to ensure the security of its waters.
The events occur against the backdrop of Beijing’s long-standing claim over Taiwan. China asserts Taiwan as its own territory, a position rejected by Taipei, which says its future can only be decided by its people.
Officials in some Western countries have expressed concern about Chinese activities off Taiwan’s Pacific coast, warning against unilateral actions that could alter the status quo or elevate tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Chinese coast guard and military operations around Taiwan have increased in recent periods, including missions to the island’s eastern, Pacific-facing side. Taiwan regards this area as strategically important for wartime supply lines from allies.
This week, Taiwan’s de facto U.S. embassy made a rare public disclosure showing coordination between the two coast guards. It published a picture of a Taiwan coast guard vessel sailing in formation with the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Midgett at an unspecified location, underscoring recent operational ties between Taipei and Washington.
Both sides conveyed firm language: Beijing framed the activity as lawful measures to maintain order and protect fishermen, while Taipei framed the patrols as politically motivated expansion and pledged to safeguard its territorial waters. The encounter highlights continuing maritime friction in a strategically sensitive part of the western Pacific.