On Monday, five Chinese coast guard ships ventured into restricted waters near Taiwan's frontline Kinmen islands, sparking concerns amid heightened tensions with Beijing. The incident was reported on Tuesday by a Taiwanese minister.
China's coast guard has recently initiated regular patrols around the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands, situated adjacent to China's coastline. This move follows the tragic deaths of two Chinese nationals who perished while attempting to evade Taiwan's coast guard's interception after their boat breached prohibited waters.
According to Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council, the Chinese vessels departed the restricted area swiftly after receiving instructions to do so from Taiwan's coast guard.
Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, remains wary of Beijing's escalating efforts to exert pressure following the election of Lai Ching-te as president. Beijing views Lai as a "dangerous separatist."
In a separate incident last week, six Chinese coast guard officers boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat carrying passengers and crew. The officers conducted a brief inspection of the vessel's route plan, certification, and crew licenses before departing approximately half an hour later.