Taiwan Coast Guard forcefully expels Chinese vessels during military drills

Taiwan's Coast Guard reported a strong response to Chinese coast guard vessels intruding into Kinmen's waters on August 5th and again on August 13th. During the ongoing Han Kuang military exercises, four Chinese coast guard ships were detected approaching restricted waters near Kinmen. The vessels, identified as "14609," "14531," "14606," and "14530," entered the restricted zone south of Lieyu.

Taiwanese patrol boats were immediately deployed to monitor the situation. At approximately 2:50 PM, the Chinese vessels entered the restricted area and encroached upon the boundary of the prohibited zone. The Coast Guard engaged in one-on-one parallel monitoring and issued warnings in both Chinese and English to compel their departure. By 5:08 PM, all four Chinese vessels had exited Kinmen's waters.

The Coast Guard stated that China's actions, described as "gray zone tactics," were intended to spread false information about its jurisdiction. They emphasized that such provocations do not alter Taiwan's effective control over the Kinmen maritime area. The 12th Patrol District, situated on the front lines of maritime defense, remains vigilant, maintaining constant surveillance and deploying vessels to address threats, even while participating in the Han Kuang exercises.