Taiwan's coast guard says it drove away 16 Chinese vessels near main island, Pratas

Taiwan's coast guard said in a statement on Sunday, 18 October 2026, that it had driven away 16 Chinese coast guard, research and fishing vessels. It said the vessels were involved in simultaneous operations around Taiwan's main island and Pratas (Dongsha), a disputed island to the southwest.

The statement said an "unusually large" number of Chinese vessels took part in coordinated operations. It said the vessels included four fishing boats. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not break down the other vessels.

Some of the vessels entered Taiwan's restricted waters. The Hindu states this directly. Al Jazeera says the vessels "reportedly" did so. Neither outlet says who made the claim or which waters were involved.

According to The Hindu, the operations took place off Taiwan's eastern, southern and southwestern coastlines and around Pratas. The Hindu also reports that Taiwan controls Pratas. Beijing claims the island along with most of the South China Sea.

The Hindu quoted the statement as saying the coast guard took "forceful action immediately to effectively neutralise the threats". The reports do not describe what that action involved. They also do not give the timing or duration of the operations.

Context

On 1 October, Taiwan's coast guard used a water cannon against a Chinese recreational fishing vessel near Pratas. According to The Hindu, the incident sparked an angry response from China. The reports do not describe that response.

According to Taiwanese official data, China deployed a record 244 coast guard, scientific research and other ships around Taiwan's main island in July. That compares with 58 in July of the previous year. The same data show 152 Chinese vessels detected in the first 21 days of August. These counts exclude Chinese warships, which are deployed around Taiwan on a near-daily basis and counted separately.

The Hindu, citing Taiwanese official data, reports 30 Chinese ships in May and 55 in June. It says about 60 percent of detected vessels are coast guard ships. It also reports that China began law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan in June.

What is disputed

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and asserts jurisdiction over the surrounding waters. Taipei rejects this. China has long threatened to use force to take control of Taiwan. The account of the 18 October incident comes from the Taiwanese coast guard alone. The reports include no independent verification.

What each side says

Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration described the activity as maritime harassment. The Hindu quoted its statement as saying the vessels carried out "simultaneous operations at multiple locations and engaged in hybrid warfare". The statement added: "China is attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and create the false impression of jurisdiction." It also said: "Such actions will only lead to resentment among the people of Taiwan, and the Coast Guard Administration condemns them in the strongest terms." According to The Hindu, Taipei called China's June patrols "expansionism in disguise".

The reports do not include any response from Beijing to the 18 October incident. Both outlets describe Beijing's longstanding position that Taiwan and Pratas are part of its territory.

Analysis

The incident fits a pattern described in Taiwanese official data of a sharp rise in non-military Chinese vessel activity around Taiwan this year. Taipei's coast guard accuses Beijing of trying to unilaterally alter the status quo and create a "false impression of jurisdiction". Beijing's position, as described in the reports, rests on its territorial claim. Without a Chinese response or independent verification, key details remain unconfirmed. Possible developments range from further coast guard encounters near Pratas to diplomatic exchanges over the incident. Whether activity continues at July's levels may indicate how both sides manage maritime friction. None of these outcomes is certain.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.