China Coast Guard Deepens Routine Patrols East of Taiwan

The China Coast Guard (CCG) said on July 31 that its Xiushan vessel formation carried out a routine law enforcement patrol in waters east of Taiwan, the latest step in a maritime campaign that has steadily escalated since June. CCG spokesperson Jiang Lüe said the patrol was conducted “in accordance with the law” and that the agency will continue strengthening law enforcement patrols in waters under China’s jurisdiction to “resolutely safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” according to Xinhua.

A Routine Announced in Two Months

The announcement, carried by state news agency China News Service, said that since July the Xiushan formation has strengthened control of the relevant sea areas, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese people — including Taiwanese compatriots — and their life and property safety.

The July 31 patrol continues a rotation that began on June 1, when the CCG Daishan formation conducted what Chinese state media analysis described as the first publicized independent CCG law enforcement patrol east of Taiwan, operating separately from the joint military exercises that have previously brought coast guard ships to the area. The analysis framed the patrol as a direct response to Japan and the Philippines launching maritime boundary delimitation negotiations covering waters between Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and the Philippines’ Batan Islands, a move Beijing called “completely illegal and invalid.” It also noted that the area’s steep seabed, strong Kuroshio Current, and frequent summer typhoons make sustained patrols an operational challenge, and argued the deployment demonstrated China’s mature support systems for long-term operations.

On July 4, the Xiushan formation formally took over from the Daishan formation — a handover reported by China Times — with the CCG announcing the transition to “routine” or “normalized” law enforcement patrols east of Taiwan.

Taipei Rejects Beijing’s Claims

Beijing regards Taiwan as part of China and claims jurisdiction over the waters around the island under the one-China principle. Taiwan denies that claim. According to The New York Times, Chinese vessels in the area have radioed passing cargo ships demanding crew information, and Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration estimated Chinese government vessels operated 85 times near Taiwan in May and June, nearly double the 45 operations recorded in the same period a year earlier.

Taiwanese analysts describe the operations as a “gray-zone” campaign — pressure below the threshold of war. Lai Yi-chung, executive director of Taipei’s Prospect Foundation, told the New York Times that what Chinese forces are doing east of Taiwan “is, to some extent, a preliminary isolation drill — inspecting ships at sea and possibly ordering them to turn back.” Ryan Martinson, an associate professor at the U.S. Naval War College, said that “once these ships are persistently present there, Beijing is in a better position to take stronger action against Taiwan.”

Tamkang University adjunct professor Jing Yuanzhou characterized the approach as incremental. “Currently, they prefer to nibble away, step by step, and nibbling is preparation in case they decide to swallow whole,” he said.

What to Watch

The patrols carry strategic significance beyond the immediate maritime dispute. The waters east of Taiwan would be a critical corridor for any outside assistance in a crisis, and the CCG’s sustained presence gives Beijing new leverage to inspect and potentially divert shipping. Taiwan is responding by testing options that include naval escorts for commercial vessels, strategic fuel reserves, floating liquefied natural gas terminals, and even a possible restart of nuclear power, while officials have held tabletop exercises simulating a Chinese blockade.

Beijing has given no indication it will pause the patrols; the CCG said it will continue law enforcement patrols in waters under China’s jurisdiction. With Taiwan’s next presidential election scheduled for 2028, analysts expect the gray-zone pressure to intensify in the years ahead.