Beijing Defends Its Maritime Patrols
Beijing has defended the recent coast guard patrols around the Pratas Islands, describing them as legitimate operations to maintain order. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office refers to China’s “indisputable sovereignty” over the islands and surrounding waters. On 19 October, Taiwan reported coordinated activities involving 16 Chinese vessels, including coast guard, research and fishing boats, in several areas around Taiwan and the Pratas Islands. This followed reported incursions by Chinese coast guard vessels into Taiwan’s territorial waters in the preceding days, as well as Taiwan’s use of water cannons against a Chinese fishing boat near the Pratas Islands in early October. Beijing claims that its coast guard vessels are “fulfilling their duties in accordance with the law”, while Taiwan views their activities as challenges to its authority.
Grey-Zone Tactics Could Shift the Status Quo
These incidents illustrate China’s tactic of using grey-zone activities, which fall below the threshold of open military conflict, to exert pressure and gradually shift the status quo. In doing so, China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, as well as its claims over the waters and strategically important islands around Taiwan, become increasingly apparent. The recent frequency of such incidents could normalise the Chinese presence in disputed waters and contribute to establishing de facto control. By avoiding the deployment of military vessels and instead focusing on coast guard and civilian vessels, China makes it more difficult for Taiwan to maintain control without escalating the situation.
