DEFENSE/Taiwan coast guard monitors Chinese vessels after drills

Hualien, Dec. 12 (CNA) Taiwanese coast guard ships monitored multiple Chinese vessels sailing north in waters east of Taiwan early Thursday after recent drills around the island, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said.

Despite China's attempts to provoke Taiwan by employing so-called gray zone strategy, the nation remains poised to defend its sovereignty and maritime rights in the region, Hsieh added.

Hsieh made the remarks to CNA ahead of a CGA mission conducted by frigate CG606, in waters off Taiwan's eastern coast, one day after Beijing ended its three-day "temporary reserved areas" of airspace -- in seven designated areas east of the coast of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.

Three CNA reporters were on board CGA CG606 and provided a first-hand account of the mission.

Hsieh said the nine Chinese coast guard vessels detected by the CGA on Dec. 6 in waters off Taiwan's southwest and and southeast coast were seen passing through waters off Taiwan's east coast in the early hours of Thursday, apparently on their way back to China after completing exercises in the region.

The nine Chinese vessels, five undergoing training in waters off Taiwan's southwestern coast and four in waters of Taiwan's southeastern coast on Dec. 6, were divided into two fleets en route to China, the CGA official said.

The first four were led by China's coast guard vessel No. 2901 as they sailed north from waters off Taiwan's southeast coast, while another four -- 2302, 2203, 2307 and 2304 -- encountered CGA vessel CG606 approximately 36 nautical miles east of the Port of Hualien sailing north after completing drills off Taiwan's southeast coast, the officials said.

CG606 came within one nautical mile of the four Chinese vessels at one point, the official noted, adding that along with the 500-ton CG606, the 1,000-ton CG133 and 600-ton CG607 were also present to monitor the northbound movement of the Chinese coast guard ships.

On Tuesday, Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升), head of the MND's Office of Deputy Chief of General Staff for Intelligence, said the drills by China's coast guard ships were not only aimed at intimidating Taiwan.

Rather they were also intended to fully blockade Taiwan by transforming waters around the Taiwan Strait into Chinese internal waters, Hsieh said.