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The vessels reportedly remained in the area for about 15 minutes before being ordered to leave.
This handout photo taken and released on December 29, 2025, by the Taiwan Coast Guard shows Chinese Coast Guard vessel No. 1303 being detected 23 nautical miles northwest of Pengjia Islet. (Photo: AFP/File)
Taiwan on Thursday said two Chinese vessels entered the “prohibited” waters around Taiping Island in the disputed South China Sea, marking the first such incursion into the area, according to Taiwanese authorities.
In a statement, Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said the two Chinese ships “openly intruded” into restricted waters surrounding the Taiwan-controlled island, also known as Itu Aba.
As per a report by AFP, the vessels remained in the area for about 15 minutes before being ordered to leave. Taiwan’s coast guard said it responded immediately and expelled the ships from the waters around the island.
Taiwan described the incident as the first known case of Chinese vessels entering the prohibited waters around the island, a development that could further heighten tensions in the strategically important region.
China asserts that Taiwan is part of its territory and has in recent years increased military pressure on the island democracy. Beijing also lays claim to most of the South China Sea.
China has not immediately commented on Taiwan’s claims.
The South China Sea remains one of the world’s most contested maritime regions, with overlapping territorial claims involving China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. The waterway is a key global shipping route and has long been a source of geopolitical friction.
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