At 0730 on April 1, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army issued a joint military exercise message. The Coast Guard Administration’s Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu branch detected through real-time coastal radar monitoring that Chinese Coast Guard ships were simultaneously harassing our Dongyin and Wuqiu restricted waters. Patrol boats PP10082, 10037, 3586 and 10081 were immediately dispatched to respond.
At around 8 o’clock, Chinese Coast Guard ships 14607, 14517, 14609 and 14606 invaded the restricted waters of Dongyin and Wuqiu respectively. The patrol boats responded immediately, approached the shore side of the Chinese Coast Guard ships, and strongly refused to allow the Coast Guard ships to go deep into our waters. They also solemnly demanded that the Chinese Coast Guard leave our waters through radio broadcasts in Chinese and English. As of 15:30, Chinese Coast Guard ships continued to harass the security of our waters in the northwest of Dongyin and around Wuqiu. Even in severe sea conditions, the patrol boats continued to stand firm, stick to their posts, and did not let the Coast Guard ships overstep the line.
China continues to intensify its gray-zone harassment pattern. Today, in conjunction with the military exercise, it simultaneously harassed Dongyin and Wuqiu in two places, continuing to invade our waters by various means. The Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu Branch pointed out that China’s unilateral actions to undermine regional stability have seriously undermined regional peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The Coast Guard, based on its duties, continues to maintain a firm stance, immediately releases law enforcement footage, dispels false information from the Chinese Coast Guard, defends national sovereignty, and stabilizes people’s morale.