TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Coast Guard Administration on Wednesday staged rapid response drills around Taiping Island.
The first exercise simulated a scenario in which radar monitoring by the Nansha command center detected a suspicious cargo vessel included under the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding blacklist of “flags of convenience,” according to a CGA press release.
Due to its suspicious movements and failure to respond to repeated calls, the CGA dispatched a 100-tonne patrol vessel stationed on the island and a multi-purpose boat to intercept and escort the vessel back to Taiping Island for investigation.
The CGA then simulated a large-scale disaster involving a Vietnamese fishing vessel southwest of the island that broke down and caught fire after being struck by a passing cargo ship. The CGA’s Special Task Unit was sent to rescue the crew.
Unmanned aerial vehicles were also deployed for aerial reconnaissance and thermal imaging searches. They quickly located individuals overboard and deployed lifesaving equipment. In addition, the defense ministry dispatched a C-130 transport aircraft to provide aerial support and conduct emergency medical evacuation.
The CGA said that since the completion of Taiping Island’s pier in 2023, it has been able to accommodate 4,000-tonne coast guard vessels and now regularly stations 100-tonne patrol boats. This significantly enhances the CGA’s law enforcement and response capabilities in surrounding waters, it said.
The CGA said it would continue to conduct humanitarian rescue exercises in the South China Sea, refine cross-agency coordination mechanisms, and deepen rescue cooperation with neighboring countries. These efforts aim to establish Taiping Island as a humanitarian assistance and logistics hub in the region, it added.
