China Coast Guard Patrols Near Taiwan's Pratas Islands — SkimNews
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- China is conducting coast guard patrols near the Pratas Islands, stating the operations are lawful and aimed at 'safeguarding order' in waters it claims as its own.
- Zhang Han, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, asserted Beijing has 'indisputable sovereignty' over the Pratas Islands and adjacent waters, framing patrols as routine law enforcement.
- Taiwan reported two recent incidents of Chinese coast guard vessels approaching the Pratas, accusing Beijing of using coercive tactics to assert control over disputed territory.
- Chiu Chui-cheng, head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, warned Beijing is pursuing a strategy of 'exercising jurisdiction before achieving unification' through coast guard operations.
- China warned Taiwan would 'bear the consequences' after its coast guard used a water cannon against a Chinese fishing boat near the Pratas Islands last week.
Why it matters: China’s use of coast guard vessels to enforce claims near the Pratas Islands escalates pressure on Taiwan without triggering a military response, altering the threshold for confrontation. The 400-km distance from Taiwan makes the atoll difficult to defend, increasing strategic vulnerability.
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