Taiwan Coastguard Drives Away Chinese Vessels Near Disputed Islands

Source reports published 18 Oct 2026, 10:00 am – 19 Oct 2026, 10:00 pm AEST

Taiwan’s coastguard confronted and drove away 16 Chinese coastguard, research, and fishing vessels operating near Taiwan’s main island and Pratas Island. The operation involved coordinated actions and warnings issued by the Taiwanese coastguard.

What happened

• Taiwan’s coastguard confronted 16 Chinese vessels, including four fishing boats, operating around Taiwan’s main island and Pratas (Dongsha) Island on Sunday.
• The Taiwanese coastguard stated that the vessels engaged in ‘simultaneous operations’ described as ‘hybrid warfare’ and accused Beijing of attempting to ‘unilaterally alter the status quo’ in the Taiwan Strait.
• The CGA monitored the maritime situation and dispatched coastguard vessels to forward positions, closely monitoring the mainland vessels and broadcasting warnings ordering them to leave.
• The Chinese vessels had sailed into Taiwan’s self-defined restricted waters.
• Beijing claims Taiwan and Pratas as part of its territory and asserts jurisdiction over the surrounding waters, which Taipei rejects.
• China has intensified its maritime pressure on Taiwan in recent months, deploying a record 244 coastguard, scientific research and other ships around Taiwan’s main island in July.
• The Taiwanese coastguard took ‘forceful action immediately to effectively neutralise the threats’.

Original reporting

• Al Jazeera: ‘Hybrid warfare’: Taiwan drives away 16 Chinese ships
  2026-10-18T00:00:00+00:00
• South China Morning Post: Taiwan coastguard wards off 16 mainland ships as Beijing turns up the pressure
  2026-10-19T12:00:10+00:00