Chinese Vessel Closes to One Nautical Mile Off Disputed Pratas Islands
Taiwan's Coast Guard logged its 13th incursion near the coral atoll this year, citing 16 vessels involved in the ongoing friction.
By Kofi Costa ·
Tensions in the South China Sea escalated on Saturday when a Chinese coast guard ship entered restricted waters near the Pratas Islands. The Pratas are a group of coral atolls located southwest of Taiwan's main island. Taipei administers the territory, though Beijing claims jurisdiction over the surrounding waters.
The Taiwan Coast Guard reported that the Chinese vessel breached the zone in the early morning hours of Saturday. A Taiwanese patrol ship moved to intercept the intruder and ordered it to withdraw. At the closest point of contact, the two vessels were separated by just 1.9 kilometers, or one nautical mile.
This incident marks the 13th time a Chinese ship has entered these specific waters this year. The Taiwan Coast Guard stated that 16 different vessels have participated in these incursions over the course of 2026. The agency said the pattern of behavior constitutes harassment.
Beijing maintains that the waters patrolled fall under its legal jurisdiction. On Saturday, the Chinese Coast Guard announced it had deployed a group of ships for a routine law enforcement patrol in waters east of Taiwan. A statement from Beijing said its service would continue to intensify patrols to firmly safeguard the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
Taiwan's Coast Guard urged Beijing to stop what it called useless acts of harassment. The agency highlighted the frequency of these encounters as a growing source of alarm in Taipei. China views the democratically governed island as a breakaway province and has not ruled out using force to annex it.
In recent months, Beijing has increased military and coast guard activity near the island. Warships and military aircraft fly near Taiwan almost daily. The increased patrols, particularly east of the island, have drawn international attention.
In June, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement expressing alarm over Chinese activities in the region. The three nations said the actions were endangering regional stability. The latest incident near the Pratas Islands continues a yearlong trend of close encounters in contested waters.
