TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Beijing announced on Monday (April 29) that it has “normalized” patrols by its coast guard in the waters around Taiwan's outer island of Kinmen.
China's Ministry of National Defense said that since April, the Fujian Coast Guard has strengthened “law enforcement patrols” in the waters near Kinmen. It said this "further enhances control over relevant sea areas, effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests, as well as the safety of life and property, of Chinese fishermen, including those from Taiwan.”
The Chinese defense ministry claimed these patrols would “effectively ensure the normal navigation and operational order in the waters of the Xiamen-Kinmen region.”
On Friday (May 3), Paul Huang, a Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation research fellow, said on X that this normalization of Chinese coast guard patrols means they have been made permanent. He claimed that restricted waters around Kinmen are now “de facto non-existent.”
Huang said since two Chinese fishermen drowned after being pursued by the Taiwan Coast Guard in February, China has been “challenging Taiwan's ‘restricted waters.’”
A Chinese speedboat intruded into Kinmen waters on Feb. 14 and was pursued by the Coast Guard. After the boat's pilot refused a request to stop for inspection, the vessel capsized, killing two of the four Chinese onboard.
On Feb. 17, China's Taiwan Affairs Office denied the existence of maritime boundaries around Kinmen County. It said there are no "restricted" or "prohibited" waters around Xiamen and Kinmen, a move that experts say is designed to exert control over the Taiwan Strait.
When asked by Taiwan News to comment on China's announcement, the Ministry of National Defense said that the matter is the responsibility of the Coast Guard. However, the Coast Guard has yet to respond to a request for comment.
