TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Chen Ming-tung (陳明通) said on Monday (April 26) he is aware of China’s latest warships in Hainan and noted the communist nation’s presence in the South China Sea is causing trouble in the region.

On April 24, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping attended a handover ceremony in Hainan for a trio of new navy warships. They comprise the Type 094A ballistic missile nuclear submarine Changzheng 18, Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Dalian, and the Type 075 amphibious assault ship Hainan.

Chen responded by presenting a report on recent developments in East Asia and their impact on Taiwan. He gave this to the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on Monday morning, CNA reported.

In an interview before the meeting, the intelligence director said the NSB has information about the Chinese navy's newest ships stationed in Sanya, Hainan. He remarked that it is clear Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea have increased tensions with neighboring nations, and the NSB has paid attention to all aspects of these developments.

Additionally, Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton said on Tuesday that conflict with China over Taiwan "should not be discounted." He added that Beijing has been increasingly clear about unification with Taiwan.

Chen pointed out that it is evident China has stepped up its military buildup in recent years. The NSB will pay attention to the warning raised by Dutton, he said.