Taiwan coast guard intercepts Chinese research vessel near Penghu islands

Taiwan’s coast guard reported that it intercepted and shadowed the Chinese research vessel Tongji after it entered sensitive waters near the Penghu islands on Thursday night. The vessel was spotted approximately 24.9 nautical miles northwest of the islands, which host significant Taiwanese military facilities.

This marks the third time the Tongji has appeared near Taiwan since May. Taiwan officials expressed concern that the vessel’s presence constitutes part of a broader campaign of maritime pressure. While the ship was not observed deploying scientific equipment during this specific encounter, previous incidents in May involved the vessel lowering instruments into the water, raising fears that it was conducting unauthorized surveys that could provide strategic data for military operations.

The Tongji is a highly advanced, 2,000-ton intelligent research ship capable of autonomous navigation and remote operation via 5G networks. Taiwan’s coast guard stated it will continue to proactively deploy vessels to monitor and respond to Chinese ships to protect its waters.