Taiwan patrol vessels monitor Chinese coast guard in Kinmen waters

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) Taiwan dispatched three patrol frigates to shadow and monitor Chinese coast guard vessels after the latter entered restricted waters off the Kinmen Islands, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said on Thursday.

Three Chinese coast guard vessels were detected sailing in formation outside restricted waters west of Dadan Island, part of the outlying Kinmen Island chain, at around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Taiwan's CGA said in a press release.

The Chinese ships, designated 14605, 14606, and 14609, sailed one after another from the south of Dadan Island and entered Kinmen restricted waters at 3 p.m., prompting the CGA to deploy three patrol vessels to sail alongside each of them and prevent them from further advancing, according to the release.

Via radio broadcasts in both Chinese and English, CGA personnel informed the Chinese vessels that their actions severely undermined regional peace and stability, posed a risk to navigation safety, and demanded that they leave immediately, the CGA said.

The Chinese coast guard vessels left the area at 4:12 p.m., the CGA said.

Taiwan's CGA condemned the incursion in such poor weather as unprofessional and irrational, noting that it neglected navigational safety and greatly endangered passing vessels.