China Coast Guard Patrols East of Taiwan Spark Tensions

The China Coast Guard conducted law-enforcement patrols east of Taiwan on September 3, 2026, led by the ship Putuoshan. These operations, which Beijing describes as routine efforts to ensure orderly navigation and protect interests in the Taiwan Strait, coincided with a seabed geology survey conducted by China's Ministry of Natural Resources between August 10 and 31.

Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration responded by deploying the patrol vessel Chi An to shadow the Putuoshan and the Daishan. These Chinese vessels were detected loitering between 74 and 105 nautical miles east of Green Island, an area where the exclusive economic zones of Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines overlap. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence also detected five People's Liberation Army Navy vessels and three official ships operating around the territory.

Taipei officials condemned the activities as maritime provocations and cognitive warfare. The Mainland Affairs Council rejected Beijing's claims of protecting Taiwanese citizens, with spokesman Liang Wen-chieh stating that the public views the patrols as malicious. This escalation follows a surge in Chinese maritime presence; Taiwan recorded 244 Chinese vessels in August, compared to 55 in June and 30 in May. In response to the overlapping territorial claims, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested inclusion in discussions between Japan and the Philippines regarding the region's exclusive economic zones.