Taiwan says Chinese vessel activity jumps, raising fears for Pacific supply routes

By Yimou Lee

TAIPEI, July 20 (Reuters) – Taiwan detected a sharp increase in Chinese coast guard and survey ship activity around the island in June, prompting Taipei to plan exercises simulating tensions off China’s Pacific coast, according to Taiwan Coast Guard data and officials.

According to data, Taiwan reported that 55 Chinese government ships, including coast guard and research boats, were seen around the island in June. This number increased compared to 30 in May.

Observations increased by 83% compared to May and 120% from the 25 observations seen in June last year. The calculation excludes sightings around Taiwan-controlled islands off the coast of China.

The figures underscore the growing role of the Chinese coast guard in Beijing’s latest pressure campaign against Taiwan; This angers Taipei and alarms some Western countries such as the US, UK, France and Germany.

The Chinese military operates almost daily around Taiwan, but Beijing increasingly uses its coast guard to assert its territorial claims, which Taipei calls its “rules of law”; These efforts are efforts to establish a legal basis for China’s actions around the island.

Taiwanese officials said the activity pointed to a critical wartime risk: Beijing may be rehearsing how to cut off Taiwan’s Pacific supply lines from its allies.

“Should the situation escalate to a blockade or what is currently war-like, we have plans to work with the navy to jointly protect Taiwan’s lifeblood sea lanes,” a senior Taiwan Coast Guard official said on condition of anonymity at a briefing.

“We anticipated this scenario not only through tabletop exercises but also through live exercises,” the official said.

China’s defense ministry and the Taiwan Affairs ‌Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

China does not recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty and says the democratic island is part of China. Taipei has said Beijing has no right to claim sovereignty or jurisdiction over the island or its waters and that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future.

CONVERTED CHINESE WARSHIPS

Some Chinese coast guard ships converted from former naval destroyers and repainted for coast guard use pose a high threat to Taiwan’s coast guard due to their size, durability and military-grade capabilities, a senior Taiwan Coast Guard official said.

The official added that Chinese coast guard ships now operate in pairs just outside Taiwan’s economic waters in the Pacific, a large area that puts a huge strain on Taiwan’s limited coast guard fleet.

“This puts great pressure on the capacity of Taiwan’s coastal guard ships,” the official said.

A second senior official described China’s actions as an attempt to “expand” and change the status quo.

China’s coast guard has issued questions to commercial ships about port entry and exit information, putting pressure on commercial shipping even though no ships have changed course so far, officials said.

Taiwan had broadcast a broadcast telling ships to maintain normal navigation and ignore Chinese interference.

“He knows he has no authority anymore, so he’s trying to create something out of nothing,” said the second official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Michael Perry)