OAN Staff Addie Davis
9:11 AM – Sunday, June 7, 2026
The Taiwanese coast guard announced that it “expelled” four Chinese ships that had entered restricted waters near the island’s southwest coast, according to Reuters.
China maintains that Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy, is part of its own territory, leading to regional tension and worldwide attention.
Recently, Japan and the Philippines said they would begin formal talks on defining their maritime boundary, a move that reportedly angered China, which viewed it as involving waters near Taiwan, per Reuters.
In response, Chinese state media reported that China had sent ships to carry out a “special maritime traffic law-enforcement operation” in waters to the east of the island.
Taiwan’s coast guard reported on Sunday that four Chinese ships, including three coast guard vessels, had sailed into restricted waters off the southwest coast, prompting an exchange.
Per Reuters, the Taiwanese coast guard said in a statement that all of the ships were “expelled” after Taiwan sent seven coast guard vessels to address the situation. The outlet also reported that Taiwan’s coast guard published a recording of an unidentified officer warning Taiwanese ships.
“These are waters under Chinese jurisdiction. Our maritime law-enforcement formation is carrying out a special traffic law-enforcement mission in the waters of the Taiwan Strait. Do not interfere with our official duties,” the officer reportedly said.
The response from a Taiwanese coast guard officer reiterated the stance that China does not have any “sovereign rights” in waters east of the island.
“If conflict occurs, your side will face sanctions from the world. Only maritime stability can ensure your country’s development,” the Taiwanese officer said.
Reuters noted that Taiwan had reported increased activity by the Chinese coast guard in recent weeks, including stand-offs around the Pratas Islands, which are controlled by Taiwan.
Secretary-General of the National Security Council of Taiwan Joseph Wu posted a video to X of the coast guard exchange where an unidentified officer can be heard saying, “This is not your waters. You don’t belong here. Turn around and leave now.”
“The PRC is nothing but a big fat bully,” Wu said about the People’s Republic of China.
In a post from days earlier, he also referenced the activity around the Pratas.
“China Coast Guard CCG 3501 has been cruising the adjacent waters of the Pratas for the 3rd day, while a PRC marine survey ship just recklessly intruded into our territorial waters,” Wu said. “These acts are highly provocative. The PRC is a sick bully, causing trouble across the region.”
In mid-May, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a high-stakes summit in Beijing, where Taiwan was reportedly brought up, and the status of which continues to be a sensitive topic for diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China.
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