TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has seen an increase in Chinese ocean research ship activity in waters only 24 nautical miles (44 km) off the country’s coast, Financial Times reported on Tuesday (Feb. 27).
Taiwan has seen nine intrusions since September, an increase from only two in each of the prior three years, according to tracking data analyzed by Financial Times of almost 80 ships from satellite data firm Spire Global. The sightings include one by China’s newest research vessel, the Zhu Hai Yun, a drone carrier with links to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) down the entire east coast of Taiwan in November.
According to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, countries can claim a 24 nm contiguous zone from their coast, where they have resource rights and jurisdiction over the surface and floor of that ocean area, per Financial Times. However, since China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, the country cannot use this legal framework for protection.
Beijing often uses government and military-affiliated research institute vessels to assert its claims in contested waters, sailing near oil exploration sites in the exclusive economic zones of Malaysia and Vietnam in the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely, the report noted.
While maritime research ships collect data for scientific research, information like ocean floor mapping can also be used for naval warfare, especially for submarines, Financial Times said. A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank published on Monday (Feb. 26) said the Zhu Hai Yun can carry out civilian and military survey work.
The report also mentioned that previous Chinese research vessel incursions took place to the north, south, and west of Taiwan, but that recently there has been a move to the east of the country. Taiwanese officials told Financial Times that when the Zhu Hai Yun was tracked approaching from the north on Nov. 14, a Coast Guard vessel shadowed it until it left radar range southwest of Taiwan on Nov. 15.
Meanwhile, another Chinese research vessel, the Da Yang, was tracked off the east coast on Feb. 15-17, Taiwanese officials told the outlet. Taiwan has also seen an uptick in Beijing’s use of gray zone tactics since September 2020, with increasing numbers of Chinese military aircraft and naval ships operating around the nation.
