On October 1, 2026, the Taiwan Coast Guard took action using a water cannon against a Chinese fishing vessel that had illegally entered Taiwan's waters. This confrontation is part of the existing tensions between Taiwan and China regarding Chinese fishing vessels approaching Taiwan's waters.
Incident Details
On October 1, the Taiwan Coast Guard identified an unknown vessel at 11:00 AM located about 15.5 nautical miles northeast of Dongsha Island, part of the Pratas Atoll. The Taiwanese patrol vessel named Yulin was dispatched to the area for investigation. In this context, two Chinese fishing vessels were identified operating in an area approximately 27 nautical miles east of the island.
The Taiwan Coast Guard issued necessary orders for these two vessels to leave the area. One of the vessels named Yuyihui Dongyu 75066 complied with the orders, but the second vessel named Jinsha did not respond to three radio warnings from the Coast Guard. As a result, the Coast Guard used the water cannon for 30 seconds and then approached the vessel closer and sprayed water again for 90 seconds.
Consequences of the Incident
After these actions, the Taiwan Coast Guard approached the Chinese fishing vessel and requested the crew to leave the area, warning that failure to cooperate would result in the vessel's seizure. Meanwhile, the Chinese vessel claimed to be facing mechanical problems. The Coast Guard ultimately provided 35 hot meals to the crew of this vessel and on October 2 handed it over to a Chinese work vessel from Taiwan's restricted waters.
Reports indicate that in recent weeks, the Taiwan Coast Guard has encountered several Chinese fishing vessels in waters near Dongsha Island. In one of these encounters in May, the Taiwan Coast Guard and a Chinese Coast Guard vessel issued exit orders to each other for an extended period. According to the Taiwan Coast Guard, this was their sixth encounter with Chinese vessels in 2026.
Due to the increase in Chinese activities in the region, Taiwan is in a state of tension and has reported the entry of several Chinese vessels into its waters and a lack of respect for international borders.
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