Taiwan-China Coast Guard Standoff Near Pratas (Dongsha) Islands

In the early hours of 5 June, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel entered waters around the Pratas (Dongsha) Islands that Taiwan administers and considers restricted. The Taiwanese Coast Guard radioed the ship to leave; the Chinese vessel accelerated from five to nine knots and performed a sharp turn into the zone, prompting a multi‑hour face‑to‑face standoff. Taiwan described the encounter as a “standoff” with “intense verbal exchanges”.

Taiwan reiterated that only its authorities have jurisdiction over the Pratas, while Beijing maintains the islands are part of China. The incident follows a pattern of increasing Chinese naval and aerial activity around the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, prompting Taiwan to boost maritime surveillance and acquire new Coast Guard assets.

Both sides remain firm on their competing sovereignty claims, and the encounter highlights the ongoing risk of escalation in the contested waters.