Chinese coast guard ships enter restricted waters near Dongsha: CGA

Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) Two Chinese coast guard vessels entered restricted waters around Taiwan-controlled Dongsha Atoll Friday afternoon, prompting Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to deploy vessels to monitor them and order them to leave.

The Chinese vessels, numbered 3301 and 3303, entered the restricted waters at 3:34 p.m., the CGA's Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement issued Friday night. The confrontation was still ongoing at the time the statement was released.

Taiwan's Cijin patrol ship and patrol boat PP-10032 flanked one Chinese ship, broadcasting warnings in Chinese and English ordering them to leave.

The CGA's Dongsha command first detected the ships southwest of the atoll at around 2 p.m. Based on their courses and speeds, officials assessed that they might enter the restricted waters and directed the two Taiwanese vessels to respond.

The branch said the CGA had conducted 11 operations so far this year to expel Chinese coast guard ships from waters around Dongsha, involving 14 vessel encounters.

The branch cited Friday's incident as Beijing's use of purported law enforcement activities to expand its authority and create the appearance of jurisdiction over the area.

Taiwan has sovereignty over Dongsha Atoll and its surrounding waters, the branch said, pledging to take all necessary measures to defend Taiwan's national sovereignty and maritime security.