China deploys record number of ships around Taiwan as pressure grows

Taiwan's coast guard reported a record number of Chinese ships in its waters last month, as Beijing intensifies pressure on Taipei. The 244 ships detected in July marked an average of nearly eight per day, surpassing previous months' counts. Over 60% of the vessels were coast guard ships, with the remainder comprising research vessels and other government boats.

Analysis suggests these moves are part of China's strategy to map the region for potential submarine warfare. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, despite no historical rule, and has threatened force to annex it. Taiwan's coast guard warned of an escalating situation, attributing the surge to China's "grey zone" tactics, which involve actions that fall short of war but assert authority over contested waters.

China operates over 120 oceanographic research vessels, some of which have been circling Taiwan and refusing orders to leave, potentially gathering data for anti-submarine warfare. This recent activity has alarmed Taiwanese officials, who accuse China of authoritarian expansionism and incremental encroachment. Experts view these moves as escalations in Beijing's efforts to assert jurisdiction over Taiwan's waters, threatening the island's sovereignty and undermining its right to economic zones at sea.