Taiwan accuses Beijing of grey-zone escalation after Chinese vessels enter disputed waters

Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council has condemned a recent maritime incident as a malicious escalation of grey-zone harassment, following the entry of two Chinese vessels into prohibited waters surrounding Itu Aba (Taiping) Island. The council asserted that Beijing is systematically challenging Taiwan’s jurisdiction through these actions, which it described as an open intrusion designed to create a false impression of Chinese authority.

The Taiwanese coast guard reported that the vessels entered the restricted area on Thursday and remained for 15 minutes before being expelled. This incident marks the first time Chinese ships have entered the prohibited waters off Taiping Island, which extend four kilometres from the shore. The island is the largest in the Spratly archipelago and is claimed by Taiwan, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

In a statement issued via social media platform X, the Ocean Affairs Council stated that China is systematically harassing Taiwan. The council argued that the incident demonstrates that recent Chinese military operations east of the island should be viewed as a broader challenge to the international order. Taipei dismissed Beijing’s justification for those operations, which were framed as a response to maritime boundary talks between Japan and the Philippines, as merely an excuse.

Beijing has called the Japan-Philippines boundary talks illegal and claims exclusive control over the affected waters. Taiwan has branded the recent Chinese activities as provocative and described them as expansionism in disguise. The Ocean Affairs Council linked the Thursday incident to this wider pattern, suggesting that Beijing is using such maneuvers to test and erode Taiwan’s defensive perimeter.

Tensions have also been observed in other parts of the South China Sea. On Saturday, the Taiwanese coast guard reported that a Chinese survey vessel had joined a coast guard ship in waters around Pratas Island. This was described as the first observed instance of Chinese coast guard and survey vessels acting in coordination to provoke Taiwan. Additionally, Taipei accused Chinese ships of harassment after they requested information from three passing commercial cargo ships, including their port of destination.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has ramped up military pressure on the island democracy in recent years. Beijing also asserts exclusive control over most of the South China Sea. The incident at Itu Aba follows a series of Chinese activities in waters around Taiwan and islands under its control, highlighting the ongoing strategic friction in the region.

Taiwan controls Pratas Island, but Beijing also claims it along with most of the strategic waterway. The coordinated activity observed near Pratas, combined with the intrusion at Itu Aba, underscores the intensifying operational tempo of Chinese maritime forces in areas of competing sovereignty. Taipei continues to monitor these movements closely, viewing them as part of a coordinated strategy to isolate and pressure the island.