Taiwan warns off Chinese research ship in sensitive waters

China considers Taiwan its own territory and does not recognize Taiwan's sovereignty claims, including in the waters surrounding the island. Taiwan has reported regular appearances of Chinese vessels, including its coast guard, near Taiwan, characterizing them as 'grey zone' harassment aimed at pressuring Taipei and asserting Chinese jurisdiction.

The Tongji, commissioned last year, was observed late Thursday approximately 24.9 nautical miles northwest of the Penghu islands, a location hosting significant Taiwanese military bases. The coast guard reported that the ship was not deploying any instruments. A Taiwanese patrol boat was dispatched to accompany the Tongji and broadcast strong warnings for it to depart.

As of Friday morning, the vessel was located 28 nautical miles west-southwest of Liuqiu island, continuing its southeast trajectory. China's Taiwan Affairs Office has not yet responded to requests for comment. Taiwan's coast guard affirmed its commitment to proactively deploying ships to counter Chinese vessels and defend national sovereignty and maritime safety.

Taiwan first detected the Tongji in May, noting on at least one occasion that it appeared to be deploying scientific instruments for suspected illegal survey operations. Chinese state media has described the Tongji as having all-weather operational capabilities and the capacity to carry various unmanned systems and laboratories.