China mounts fresh campaign to encircle Taiwan with patrols
Since June, Beijing has deployed on average two Coast Guard cutters per month east of Taiwan, an area vital to U.S. allies.
China has ramped up its maritime pressure on Taiwan, shifting its focus from a major shipping strait to the Pacific coast, a crucial link with U.S. allies. Since June, Beijing has deployed an average of two Coast Guard cutters per month east of Taiwan, marking the first time such patrols have been documented in the region since January 2025.
These patrols, covering a vast area of 27,100 square nautical miles, are reported to be more than twice the size of Taiwan itself. The ships maintained a 30 nautical mile distance from the island's eastern coast, staying outside Taiwan-claimed waters.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
