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Taiwan Expels Chinese Fishing Boats from Pratas Waters Amid Rising Tensions
- •Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) expelled two Chinese fishing boats from Taiwan-controlled waters near the Pratas Islands.
- •The incident began when an unidentified boat was detected inside Taiwan’s prohibited waters, prompting the dispatch of the Yunlin patrol vessel.
- •The Yunlin located two Chinese fishing boats, the Yue Hui Dong Yu 75066 and the Jin Sha, inside restricted waters.
- •After repeated warnings, the CGA used a water cannon on the Jin Sha when it refused to comply, eventually towing it out of restricted waters.
- •The incident highlights ongoing maritime tensions and Taiwan's efforts to enforce its boundaries against unauthorized Chinese activity.
Key Questions Answered
Taiwan's Coast Guard dispatched the Yunlin patrol vessel, which used repeated verbal warnings and water cannons after the vessel Jin Sha refused to comply. The coast guard later provided hot meals to the crew before towing the vessel out of restricted waters and handing it over to a Chinese work vessel.
The two Chinese fishing boats involved were the Yue Hui Dong Yu 75066 and the Jin Sha. While the Yue Hui Dong Yu sailed away after being warned, the Jin Sha refused to comply and was subsequently towed out of restricted waters.
Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration reported that China has significantly increased the frequency of its coast guard patrols around the Pratas Islands since February 2024, shifting from occasional passages to over 30 transits annually. Taiwanese authorities view these calculated incursions as part of a broader gray zone strategy designed to test defenses and deplete resources.
