On Tuesday, July 28, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Washington’s de facto embassy in Taiwan, posted a rare photo on social media showing a Taiwan Coast Guard vessel alongside a U.S. Coast Guard patrol ship. AIT said the two sides were closely coordinating on several shared maritime objectives.
The image is geopolitically significant because in recent years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has increasingly normalized “gray-zone” harassment operations around Taiwan using China Coast Guard vessels, government ships, and research vessels.
The photo posted by AIT on Facebook shows the 4,000-ton Taiwan Coast Guard patrol and rescue vessel “Taipei” (CG5005) and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Legend-class national security cutter USCGC Midgett (WMSL-757) sailing in formation in an undisclosed maritime area.
AIT’s post stated that, with the arrival of the typhoon season, the U.S. Coast Guard and Taiwan Coast Guard Administration are closely coordinating on several shared maritime objectives, including search and rescue operations; tropical storm preparedness and response; disaster relief; marine resource conservation; combating illegal fishing and interdicting maritime drug trafficking. `
The statement emphasized practical maritime cooperation between Taiwan and the United States, while the rare public release of the image attracted additional attention amid increasingly frequent Chinese maritime activity around Taiwan.
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AIT stated that the United States appreciates Taiwan’s partnership in maritime security and will continue to support Taiwan’s meaningful contributions to global issues, including maritime law enforcement exchanges and international cooperation.
In another Facebook post, Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) wrote that China, through “sham law enforcement, real harassment” operations, is eroding the international order based on international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and undermining regional peace.
On Wednesday, July 29, the Taipei Times reported that AIT’s release was particularly significant in the current context.
Chinese coast guard vessels surge 83% in a single month in the East China Sea
Recently, activities by Chinese Coast Guard vessels and government ships in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and South China Sea have increased significantly. Beijing has adopted “fake law enforcement, real expansion of control” tactics as part of its gray-zone harassment operations.
Using the excuse that Japan and the Philippines have begun negotiations on delimiting their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), China has dispatched large numbers of government and research vessels to expand so-called “routine law enforcement” operations and conduct inspections of commercial vessels in waters off eastern Taiwan.
According to information released by Taiwan authorities, the number of Chinese government and research vessels detected in waters east of Taiwan and within Taiwan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) has risen sharply, with a monthly increase of 83 percent. The operations are allegedly aimed at creating the false impression that China has jurisdiction over Taiwan’s eastern waters.
In response, Taiwan immediately lodged a strong protest, emphasizing that its sovereignty and fishing rights cannot be violated. Taipei also called on the international community to recognize what it described as China’s aggressive expansion of gray-zone conflicts.
Meanwhile, representative offices of the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and several European countries in Taiwan have publicly rejected China’s claims, stating that such actions seriously undermine regional peace and freedom of navigation. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also expressed serious concern and opposition to Beijing’s actions.
China provokes the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal
In addition, China has continued frequent operations in the South China Sea, deploying large Coast Guard vessels alongside maritime militia forces. Through coercive tactics including water cannon attacks, encirclement, and interception, Chinese forces have repeatedly disrupted Philippine resupply missions to the South China Sea.
The confrontations have also escalated into serious physical clashes between Chinese and Philippine personnel.
According to Philippine News Agency (PNA), on July 20, the Philippine military said that a Chinese Coast Guard vessel with the hull number 21560 deployed a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) carrying eight personnel, which “illegally approached” the grounded Philippine naval vessel BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal). The Chinese RHIB reportedly circled the ship at close range while taking photographs and recording videos.
The Philippine Navy immediately dispatched two vessels to “calmly and non-confrontationally” drive away the Chinese Coast Guard RHIB. However, Chinese personnel allegedly responded with “violent and aggressive actions,”using wooden sticks to strike Philippine naval personnel. The incident left one Filipino soldier injured and damaged the inflatable boat.
After the incident, both sides presented conflicting accounts, accusing the other of provocation. Each side also summoned the other’s ambassador to lodge formal protests.
The U.S. Department of State issued a statement condemning what it described as China’s “dangerous and aggressive” actions against Philippine naval personnel.
A department spokesperson said in the statement: “China’s repeated provocations against lawful Philippine maritime operations not only undermine regional peace and stability, but also directly contradict China’s repeated commitments to resolve disputes peacefully.”
China enters Japan’s exclusive economic zone south of Yonaguni Island
Chinese Coast Guard vessels have also frequently entered the territorial waters and contiguous zones around the Diaoyu Islands (known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands), attempting to undermine the existing status quo and normalize such activities.
In addition, China has repeatedly entered Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) south of Yonaguni Island, often in conjunction with military exercises.
According to United Daily News, Chinese Coast Guard and government vessels entered and operated within Japan’s EEZ south of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture beginning on June 3, 2026. When Japan’s Japan Coast Guard issued warnings and requests for the vessels to leave, Chinese government ships repeatedly claimed that the waters were under Chinese jurisdiction.
Japanese authorities later confirmed that Chinese government vessels and research vessels had been operating frequently and routinely in the area throughout June.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated that Japan could not accept China’s claims over the waters. He emphasized that Japan would maintain a firm resolve to defend its territory, territorial waters, airspace, and rights, and would respond in a firm yet calm manner.
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