Tension in the Taiwan Strait: Coast Guard Confrontation Near Kinmen Island

Taiwan's Coast Guard and Chinese Coast Guard Vessels Face Off, National Flags Visible in Standoff.

Recent events highlight ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. On both yesterday and today, May 11, Chinese Coast Guard vessels entered waters near **Kinmen** Island, prompting a response from the Taiwanese Coast Guard. According to released images, the confrontations involved Taiwanese and Chinese vessels sailing alongside each other, with both flags prominently displayed.

The Coast Guard deployed 100-ton patrol boats to address the situation. These vessels paralleled the Chinese ships, as captured in published images. This unusual juxtaposition of vessels and flags underscores the complex dynamics in the region.

On the first day, four Chinese Coast Guard ships entered Taiwanese waters near Kinmen, approaching from the southwest of Fengzui, the southwest of Zhaishan, and the southeast of Liaoluo. Today, the incursions continued despite fog, with ships operating near Fengzui, Zhaishan, and Beiding. The Taiwanese Coast Guard responded by dispatching patrol boats to shadow the Chinese vessels. Using both Mandarin and English radio broadcasts, the Coast Guard issued warnings, urging the Chinese ships to depart. Under the surveillance of the Taiwanese patrol boats, the Chinese vessels eventually withdrew from the restricted waters near Kinmen.