Taiwan Condemns China After Restricted-waters Coast Guard Standoff

WHO:

ABC News - Taiwan’s coast guard accused China of harassment after a Chinese coast guard vessel entered restricted waters near a disputed coral island administered by Taiwan.

ABC News - China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own breakaway province and has not ruled out using force to annex it.

ABC News - China’s coast guard said it had sent a group of vessels on a “routine law enforcement patrol.”

Bloomberg Markets - Taiwan criticized China over protocol in an invitation to an upcoming APEC meeting; Beijing was seen as slighting President Lai Ching-te and Taiwan’s international standing.

WHAT:

NY Post - Taiwan told Beijing “to immediately cease these pointless acts of harassment.”

ABC News - Taiwan said a Chinese coast guard vessel entered restricted waters near the Pratas Islands; a Taiwanese coast guard vessel confronted it and asked it to leave.

ABC News - The ships came within 1 nautical mile (1.9 kilometers) of each other at the height of the standoff.

ABC News - Taiwan said the incident was the 13th intrusion near the Pratas Islands that year, involving 16 vessels.

ABC News - China said it would “continue to intensify its law enforcement patrols” and uphold its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

ABC News - France, Germany and Britain issued a joint statement expressing alarm over Chinese activities east of Taiwan and saying they endangered regional stability.

WHERE:

ABC News - The Pratas Islands are southwest of Taiwan’s main island in the South China Sea.

ABC News - China said the waters it patrols fall under its jurisdiction.

ABC News - China announced a coast guard patrol in waters east of Taiwan.

WHEN:

ABC News - Taiwan’s coast guard said the Chinese vessel entered waters near the Pratas Islands early on Saturday.

ABC News - China announced its patrol on Saturday.

ABC News - France, Germany and Britain issued their joint statement in June.

WHY:

ABC News - Beijing said the waters it patrols are under Chinese jurisdiction; Taiwan objected to the vessel’s entry as harassment.

ABC News - Chinese warships and military jets operate near Taiwan almost daily, and China has increased coast guard patrols in recent months, especially east of Taiwan, raising alarm in Taipei.

HOW:

ABC News - Taiwan’s coast guard confronted the Chinese vessel and asked it to leave.

ABC News - China said its coast guard conducts law-enforcement patrols to uphold China’s claimed territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

(UPDATED November 2, 2026 11:58 UTC)

Taiwan accused China of harassment after its coast guard entered restricted waters near Pratas Islands. Taiwan’s coast guard confronted the Chinese vessel, which Beijing called a routine patrol. France, Germany and Britain warned Chinese activities around Taiwan endangered regional stability.