Frequent Chinese Coast Guard patrols erode Taiwan's maritime sovereignty, requiring stronger defense strategies.

Speaking at a press conference today, Ocean Affairs Council specialist Pai Pang-ting pointed out that in the face of China's escalating pressure against Taiwan, Taipei must not focus solely on military deterrence. Over the past few years, frequent incursions by People's Liberation Army warplanes and warships into the Taiwan Strait, as well as provocative exercises conducted in the airspace and waters off Taiwan's western coast, have left defense authorities struggling to cope. However, Pai reminded that beyond hard military power, the continuous deployments of coast guard vessels, scientific research ships, and fishing boats also constitute an erosion of Taiwan's maritime sovereignty. Operations by these non-combat vessels, often conducted under the guise of scientific research or fishing activities, gradually establish de facto administrative precedents through prolonged presence or frequent patrols, thereby undermining Taiwan's public authority within the framework of international maritime law.

From a historical perspective, although formal maritime jurisdictions have not been delimited since the 1992 cross-strait "1992 Consensus," both sides previously engaged in intermittent dialogues regarding the coordination of fishery resources and maritime security. In recent years, as Beijing accelerates the promotion of its "Maritime Silk Road" and "maritime defense" policies, the frequency of deployments by coast guard and research vessels has increased significantly. According to publicly released data from the Ministry of Defense, between 2022 and 2024, the number of patrols by PLA coast guard vessels in the waters west of Taiwan increased by approximately thirty percent compared to the previous year. Moreover, multiple vessels have lingered near Taiwan's fishery protection zones and even deployed surveying instruments in certain waters. Such actions not only challenge the law enforcement jurisdiction of Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration, but may also create the illusion of "effective control" internationally, impacting the legitimacy of Taiwan's participation in marine resource management and environmental protection.

Pai Pang-ting noted that if left unchecked, this cumulative harassment could evolve into administrative precedents established by Beijing. In international law, continuous and uncontested effective control is often viewed as de facto jurisdiction, which in turn affects the negotiation basis for future maritime delimitation. For Taiwan, the most direct risk is the compression of its space for exercising public authority; for example, in areas such as maritime rescue, resource development, and environmental monitoring, Taiwan may be forced to make concessions or be excluded from decision-making. More seriously, if the international community fails to clearly recognize and condemn such non-military harassment, it will embolden other countries to use similar tactics to challenge Taiwan's maritime sovereignty, setting an unfavorable international precedent.

Facing this situation, Pai suggested that Taiwan should strengthen its defense simultaneously from both institutional and practical levels. Institutionally, the harassment by coast guard and research vessels must be explicitly incorporated into the crisis management scope of defense and diplomacy, and information-sharing mechanisms must be established with relevant departments. Practically, the joint detection and response capabilities of the Coast Guard Administration and the navy must be enhanced, utilizing advanced radar and unmanned reconnaissance platforms to conduct real-time monitoring and issue warnings against suspicious vessels. Simultaneously, maritime cooperation with friendly nations such as the United States and Australia should be strengthened to improve the efficiency of identifying and responding to non-military maritime threats through joint exercises and intelligence exchanges. On the diplomatic front, proactive efforts must be made within the International Maritime Organization and relevant multilateral platforms to clarify the illegal actions of Chinese coast guard vessels, thereby securing international support and solidarity.

Finally, Pai Pang-ting emphasized that Taiwan's waters are not only vital resources for fisheries and energy, but also central to national security and sovereignty. If the frequent intrusions by coast guard and research vessels are allowed to become the "new normal," they will directly erode Taiwan's legal foundation and practical operational space at sea. The appropriate response involves not only upgrading military defense, but also deploying a multi-pronged approach encompassing law, diplomacy, and technology to form a comprehensive defense network, ensuring that Taiwan's rights to autonomously manage its waters are not gradually eroded. (Source of facts: Central News Agency)