Chinese ships enter restricted waters around Pratas: CGA

Two China Coast Guard vessels on Friday afternoon entered restricted waters around Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), prompting the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to deploy vessels to monitor them and order them to leave.

The Chinese vessels, numbered 3301 and 3303, entered the restricted waters at 3:34pm, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement issued on Friday night. The confrontation was still ongoing at the time the statement was released.

The Cijin patrol ship and patrol boat PP-10032 flanked one Chinese ship, broadcasting warnings in Chinese and English, and ordering it to leave.

A Coast Guard Administration (CGA) member monitors China Coast Guard ships near the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands) in the South China Sea on Friday.

Photo courtesy of the CGA

The CGA’s Dongsha command first detected the ships southwest of the atoll at about 2pm. Based on their courses and speeds, officials assessed that they might enter the restricted waters and directed the two Taiwanese vessels to respond.

The branch said the CGA had conducted 11 operations this year to expel Chinese coast guard ships from waters around Dongsha, involving 14 vessel encounters.

The branch cited Friday’s incident as Beijing’s use of purported law enforcement activities to expand its authority and create the appearance of jurisdiction over the area.

Taiwan has sovereignty over Dongsha and its surrounding waters, the branch said, pledging to take all necessary measures to defend Taiwan’s national sovereignty and maritime security.