November 1, 2026
Maritime tension between China and Taiwan is witnessing a noticeable escalation, following the Chinese Coast Guard’s destination, Taipei, harassing ships and attempting to impose a “fake jurisdiction” off the eastern coast of the island, amid growing fears that these operations are part of exercises that precede the imposition of a possible naval blockade.
As part of the Taiwanese response, the Coast Guard in Taipei announced that it had sent ships to monitor Chinese movements, especially after monitoring two Chinese ships that participated in a recent patrol off the east coast late on Saturday, indicating that Taipei considers this region vital for supply routes from the allies during wartime. Since last June, Beijing – which considers Taiwan part of its territory – has intensified its activities in that region through regular Coast Guard patrols, using overlapping military, paramilitary and civilian capabilities.
On the other hand, official Chinese media showed a video recording of a Chinese ship broadcasting a wireless message announcing the implementation of law enforcement missions and its readiness to provide assistance. The recording showed footage of an unidentified fishing vessel without specifying who the message was directed to.
The Taiwan Coast Guard described China’s attempts to harass ships via radio as “a clear expansion of powers that violates international law, undermines regional peace and stability, and deviates from reality.” The statement stressed that “our country has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zone east of Taiwan, and China has absolutely no jurisdiction over any of Taiwan’s waters.”
Field movements were not limited to the east coast, as the Taiwanese Coast Guard reported in a separate statement that China sent, also on Saturday, another Coast Guard ship near the Pratas Islands, which are strategically located at the upper end of the South China Sea and under the control of Taipei, pointing out that Taiwanese forces “expelled” Chinese Coast Guard ships from Pratas waters 13 times since the beginning of this year.
