China deploys record number of ships around Taiwan as pressure grows

Taiwan's coast guard reported a record 244 Chinese government vessels in its waters during July, a sharp increase from previous months and a significant escalation of Beijing's pressure on Taipei. This surge, averaging nearly eight ships per day, has raised alarms among officials and analysts who view it as a strategic move by China to gather intelligence for submarine warfare.

Official data shows the number of Chinese ships detected around Taiwan's main island jumped from 55 in June and 30 in May, reaching the unprecedented figure in July. The trend continued into August, with 152 vessels detected in the first 21 days. Approximately 60% of these are coast guard ships, with the remainder being research and other government vessels. Notably, these figures do not include the Chinese warships that are a near-daily presence around Taiwan.

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When we say the situation is becoming increasingly severe, we mean that the number of their government vessels in the waters surrounding Taiwan has increased, and there was a marked increase in July.

A senior coast guard official, speaking anonymously, described the situation as "increasingly severe" due to the sheer volume of government vessels. "When we say the situation is becoming increasingly severe, we mean that the number of their government vessels in the waters surrounding Taiwan has increased, and there was a marked increase in July," the official stated. The official also emphasized that China "has never ruled Taiwan for even a single day" and lacks the right to claim economic zones at sea without sovereignty over land.

Analysts interpret these "grey zone" tactics, actions that stop short of outright war, as Beijing's method of asserting authority over the waters surrounding Taiwan and its outer islands. The increased maritime presence fuels concerns beyond potential invasion, including the possibility of a quarantine or blockade that could disrupt the flow of critical supplies like energy into Taiwan's ports. The Taiwanese coast guard is specifically tracking about 41 oceanographic research vessels, including the Tong Ji, which was observed conducting seabed surveys in May, potentially contributing to China's "anti-submarine warfare databases."

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The Communist Party “has never ruled Taiwan for even a single day” and “without sovereignty over land, it has no right to claim economic zones at sea”.