Mainland Chinese research ship spotted near Taiwan’s largest naval base

A mainland Chinese research ship, the Tong Ji, was observed near Taiwan's main naval base on Friday, marking its second appearance in recent months. The 2,000-tonne vessel, operated by Tongji University in Shanghai, was found 28 nautical miles southwest of Liuchiu, a Taiwanese island near Kaohsiung and Zuoying, the island's largest naval base and home to its naval academy.

In response, Taiwan's coastguards dispatched ships to monitor the ship's movements and broadcast warnings for it to leave. The Tong Ji complied and sailed southeast. On Thursday night, the ship was spotted 25 nautical miles northwest of Hua island in the central Taiwan Strait, prompting another coastguard vessel to shadow its movements and attempt to alter its course.

Commissioned in 2025, the Tong Ji is an advanced research ship capable of conducting various scientific and engineering operations, including surveys, environmental monitoring, and offshore engineering work. Its sophisticated sensors and equipment could potentially be used for military purposes, such as submarine navigation and anti-submarine warfare.

This incident is part of a pattern of mainland Chinese research missions operating near Taiwan. In May, the Tong Ji was spotted 29 nautical miles from Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, where it was carrying out an unauthorized survey. Beijing considers Taiwan part of China and has never ruled out using force to reunite the island.

Many countries, including the United States, do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state but oppose any forcible changes to the status quo. Recently, Beijing has intensified its research and law enforcement patrols around Taiwan, citing Japan and the Philippines' plans to outline their maritime boundaries in the eastern Taiwan Strait as a violation of its sovereignty.