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Chinese coast guard ships heighten tension near Kinmen islands
Taiwan’s coast guard intercepted three Chinese vessels that crossed into restricted waters near the Kinmen Islands on December 25, in what officials described as a deliberate provocation amid mounting tensions in the Taiwan Strait. The vessels, identified as numbers 14605, 14606, and 14609, entered the restricted zone off Dadan Island around 3 p.m., prompting Taiwan to deploy patrol boats to shadow the intruders and issue radio warnings demanding their departure. The standoff lasted over an hour before the Chinese ships withdrew.
Taiwanese authorities condemned the incursion as reckless and unprofessional, warning that such operations threaten both navigational safety and regional stability. The coast guard vowed to maintain full-time monitoring of maritime activities surrounding Taiwan’s offshore territories.
Pattern of escalation
The latest incident forms part of a broader pattern of Chinese maneuvers near Kinmen that have increased sharply since early 2024. The escalation followed the death of two Chinese fishermen after their boat capsized during a pursuit by Taiwan’s coast guard, an event that Beijing used to justify regular patrols around the islands. Analysts describe these actions as part of China’s “grey-zone” tactics operations aimed at testing Taiwan’s defenses without crossing into outright military confrontation.
Beijing, however, denies any wrongdoing. Officials have dismissed Taiwan’s maritime restrictions as illegitimate, insisting the waters near Kinmen are traditional fishing grounds. Chinese spokespersons have accused Taipei of exaggerating the situation to mislead public opinion and inflame cross-strait tensions.
Regional tensions
The dispute comes at a time of heightened regional friction. Beijing’s military and diplomatic pressure has intensified following a remark by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who stated that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would pose an existential threat to Japan. China demanded a retraction, calling the statement a violation of its “red lines”.
Adding to the tension, the United States finalized an arms sale to Taiwan worth $11.1 billion, its largest package to date, including advanced rocket and missile systems. Beijing sharply criticized the deal, warning that such actions would “accelerate confrontation” across the Taiwan Strait.
