China has stepped up pressure around the islands of Taiwan
China conducted its first coordinated operation involving coast guard vessels and a research ship near the Pratas Islands, which are controlled by Taiwan. Taipei stated that this is yet another attempt by Beijing to increase pressure and assert its claims to this area of the South China Sea.
Taiwan reported new activity by Chinese ships near the Pratas Atoll—a strategically important archipelago in the South China Sea. Taipei believes that Beijing is attempting to gradually strengthen its presence in the region and assert control over territories that are effectively under Taiwan’s administration.
According to the agency, a Chinese coast guard vessel approached the Pratas Atoll area on Friday. The very next day, a Chinese oceanographic research vessel appeared near the islands.
Taiwan noted that these events occurred almost simultaneously. “This is the first time that Chinese coast guard and intelligence service vessels have acted in concert, attempting to pressure and provoke Taiwan,” the island’s coast guard stated.
Why the Pratas Islands are important
The Pratas Archipelago is located in the northern part of the South China Sea between Taiwan and Hong Kong. There is no permanent civilian population there. The islands have national park status and are controlled by Taiwan.
Despite their small size, the Pratas Islands hold significant strategic importance due to their location on one of the region’s key maritime routes. Experts have long identified this archipelago as one of the most vulnerable points in Taiwan’s defense. The distance from Taiwan’s main island to Pratas is over 400 kilometers, while it is approximately 300 kilometers to Hong Kong. This is precisely why some analysts believe that Beijing could use this area to increase political and military pressure.
What Taipei is saying
Taiwan’s Coast Guard is convinced that China’s actions have a clear political objective. According to the Taiwanese side, Beijing is trying to create the impression that it has legitimate rights to control this area. “China is trying to create a false illusion of its own jurisdiction over this area,” the agency stated.
At the same time, Taiwan emphasizes that it has no intention of relinquishing control over the archipelago. “Taiwan’s maritime sovereignty over the Pratas Islands remains unconditional,” Coast Guard representatives stressed.
Tensions in the region continue to rise
In recent years, China has regularly stepped up military and paramilitary activity around Taiwan. This involves not only combat aircraft flights and naval exercises. Coast guard vessels, research ships, and other civilian entities that do not formally belong to the military are being used with increasing frequency. In Taiwan, it is believed that such tactics allow Beijing to gradually expand its presence without direct military confrontation.
Against this backdrop, the situation around Pratas is drawing increasing attention from international experts who are closely monitoring any developments in the South China Sea. So far, no direct incidents between the parties have been reported, but Taipei views China’s latest actions as yet another sign of rising tensions in the region. This is reported by Reuters, citing the Taiwan Coast Guard.
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