Taiwan Says It Drove Away 16 Chinese Vessels in Simultaneous Operations Around Main Island and Pratas

Taiwan's coast guard said today, Oct. 18, that it confronted and drove away 16 Chinese coast guard, research and fishing vessels taking part in what it called simultaneous "maritime harassment" operations.

The agency described the number of vessels as "unusually large." Four of the 16 were fishing boats.

Where it happened

The operations took place off Taiwan's eastern, southern and southwestern coastlines, and around the Pratas Islands, also known as Dongsha. Taiwan controls Pratas, a disputed island in the northern South China Sea southwest of the main island.

Some of the Chinese vessels entered Taiwan's restricted waters, according to the coast guard.

The agency said the vessels carried out "simultaneous operations at multiple locations and engaged in hybrid warfare." It said its own ships took "forceful action immediately to effectively neutralise the threats."

What Taipei says Beijing is doing

The coast guard statement accused China of "attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and create the false impression of jurisdiction."

It added that such actions "will only lead to resentment among the people of Taiwan" and condemned them "in the strongest terms."

Beijing's position is the opposite. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, claims Pratas, and asserts jurisdiction over the surrounding waters. Taipei rejects all of it. China has long threatened to use force to take control of Taiwan.

A steep climb in numbers

China began law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan in June. Taipei called them "provocative" and "expansionism in disguise."

The numbers since then are stark. Taiwanese official data show:

• 30 Chinese coast guard, research and other government vessels detected around the main island in May
• 55 in June
• 244 in July, a record
• 152 in the first 21 days of August

July 2025 saw 58, so this July's record total is far above the same month last year.

About 60 percent of the ships are coast guard vessels. Research vessels and other government boats make up the rest.

The Oct. 1 water cannon incident

Sunday's operation follows an Oct. 1 incident near Pratas, when Taiwan's coast guard used a water cannon against a Chinese recreational fishing vessel. That drew an angry response from China.

The mix of ships stands out. Coast guard vessels, research ships and fishing boats are not warships. Taiwan's coast guard calls the activity hybrid warfare and says it is meant to create a false impression of Chinese jurisdiction.

The count leaves out the navy

The official vessel figures do not include Chinese warships. China's military deploys those around Taiwan on a near-daily basis, and they are counted separately.

That means the 244-ship July record covers only coast guard, research and other government vessels, and does not capture the full Chinese presence around the island.