AIT releases photo of Taiwan, US coast guard vessels together, reaffirms support for maritime law enforcement

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has released a photograph showing a Taiwanese Coast Guard vessel, the "Taipei," alongside a U.S. Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel, the "Midget." This marks the first time AIT has publicly shared such an image on social media, depicting the two vessels operating together in Taiwanese waters.

AIT stated that the U.S. Coast Guard and Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration are closely coordinating on various maritime objectives. These include disaster rescue operations, combating illegal fishing, and intercepting maritime drug smuggling. The institute expressed gratitude for Taiwan's partnership in maritime security and reaffirmed U.S. support for Taiwan's substantive contributions to global issues, emphasizing maritime law enforcement exchanges and international cooperation.

The announcement comes amid increased activity by Chinese coast guard vessels in waters east of Taiwan, which has drawn significant attention from the United States. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio had stated that the U.S. "disagrees with the Chinese Coast Guard patrolling near Taiwan."

In other news, Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed an amendment to the Civil Code, removing the legal inheritance share (特留分) for siblings. This change, set to take effect six months after promulgation, will primarily affect single individuals and childless couples, potentially altering estate planning for many. The Ministry of Justice supports the amendment and plans to introduce complementary legislation regarding discretionary inheritance and special contributions by heirs.