China Sends Record Ships Near Taiwan

China’s Maritime Presence Around Taiwan Hits Record

China deployed a record number of coast guard, research and other government vessels around Taiwan in July, according to figures from Taiwan’s coast guard. The sharp increase has raised concerns about Beijing’s growing maritime pressure on the island.

Taiwanese officials said 244 Chinese government vessels were detected around Taiwan’s main island in July, an average of almost eight vessels every day. The figure was significantly higher than the 55 recorded in June and 30 in May.

Chinese Ships Surge Around Taiwan

The July figure was also substantially higher than the 58 Chinese vessels detected around Taiwan during July of the previous year. In the first 21 days of August, Taiwan reported detecting another 152 Chinese vessels.

Around 60 percent of the vessels detected in July were Chinese coast guard ships. Research vessels and other government-operated ships accounted for the remainder.

The figures do not include Chinese military warships, which Taiwan says operate around the island on an almost daily basis.

Taiwan Warns of Growing Pressure

Taiwan’s coast guard has described the situation as increasingly serious, pointing to the growing number of Chinese government vessels operating around Taiwan and its surrounding islands.

Read more :  Nepal-Tibet Flood: Nearly 1,500 People Missing

Taiwan is a self-governing democracy, while Beijing claims sovereignty over the island and has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of force to bring it under Chinese control.

Concerns Over Grey-Zone Tactics

Officials and security analysts describe much of China’s maritime activity as “grey-zone” tactics. These activities are designed to increase pressure and assert maritime claims while remaining below the threshold of conventional military conflict.

China has used coast guard and research vessels in disputed waters across the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in the South China Sea. Analysts say the increasing activity around Taiwan could serve both political and strategic purposes.

Research Ships and Submarine Warfare

One major concern is the use of oceanographic research vessels to collect information about the seabed and surrounding waters. Taiwan’s coast guard said China operates more than 120 oceanographic research vessels and tracks around 41 that operate in Taiwan’s waters.

Analysts say information gathered through seabed surveys and oceanographic research could be valuable to China’s military, particularly for anti-submarine warfare and submarine operations.

US Naval War College expert Ryan D. Martinson said the scale of Chinese research vessel operations around Taiwan has increased significantly, particularly east of the island.

Chinese Research Vessel Draws Attention

Taiwanese authorities have also monitored Chinese research vessels operating alongside coast guard ships. Earlier this month, the research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 was observed operating near areas involving Taiwan and Japan’s exclusive economic zones, according to satellite and ship-tracking analysts.

Jason Wang of ingeniSPACE said the vessel was accompanied by a Chinese coast guard ship and a fishing vessel associated with China’s maritime militia.

Analysts said such operations could help China collect hydrographic information that may be useful for future naval planning.

Blockade and Quarantine Concerns

Taiwan faces the continuing possibility of military pressure from China, but officials and analysts are also concerned about scenarios short of a full-scale invasion.

A maritime quarantine or blockade could potentially restrict ships carrying energy and other essential supplies from reaching Taiwanese ports. The increasing presence of government vessels has therefore become an important security concern.

Analysts Call Activity a Clear Escalation

Martinson described the scale of Chinese research vessel activity around Taiwan as unprecedented. He said the increase represents an escalation in Beijing’s efforts to exercise influence over waters surrounding the island.

Taiwanese officials argue that China has no sovereign right to claim jurisdiction over Taiwan’s surrounding waters. Beijing, however, maintains its territorial claims over Taiwan and the surrounding maritime areas.

Regional Security Under Pressure

The growing presence of Chinese coast guard and research vessels adds another layer to already tense relations across the Taiwan Strait.

For Taiwan, the challenge is not limited to military warships. The expanding use of government vessels, research ships and maritime militia could increase pressure on Taiwan while allowing Beijing to gradually strengthen its presence without immediately triggering open conflict.