Key facts
- Taiwan's navy will support patrols around the Dongsha Islands.
- Mainland Chinese coastguard vessel appearances near the Dongsha Islands have surged.
- Taiwan views this activity as a potential test of its responses and refinement of grey-zone tactics.
The Dongsha Islands are strategically located in the South China Sea, and increased activity by the China Coast Guard in this area is seen by Taiwan as a potential escalation of grey-zone tactics. These tactics aim to assert territorial claims and pressure adversaries without resorting to direct military conflict, often by using coast guard or maritime militia forces.