Chinese maritime militia vessel spotted for first time in waters off eastern Taiwan

TAIPEI—A fishing vessel identified as part of China's maritime militia was spotted operating alongside a China Coast Guard ship and a research vessel in the Pacific waters east of Taiwan in August, according to a monitoring report by Taiwan-based private aviation company Apex Aviation, Reuters reported Oct. 8. A review of the report by Reuters found that this was the first known sighting of such a vessel in the sensitive waters.

The vessels were more than 30 nautical miles from Hualien's coast, the report said. Taiwan officials said the three ships were operating in an area east of Taiwan where Chinese vessels have been less active and are now being closely monitored.

Taiwan watches for maritime blockade and gray-zone pressure

Taiwan said China has increased its activity in waters east of Taiwan since June, including regular patrols by China Coast Guard vessels. Taiwan officials believe China could be preparing for a potential maritime blockade by operating military, paramilitary and civilian vessels in overlapping patterns.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense told Reuters that China could use law enforcement and scientific research as cover for harassment activities and seek to expand its operating area without entering into open conflict, creating the appearance of effective jurisdiction. China's Taiwan Affairs Office and Ministry of National Defense did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The waters east of Taiwan are strategically important. Taipei regards the area as a vital route for maintaining the flow of supplies between Taiwan and external allies in the event of a blockade or conflict.

Militia vessel operated alongside coast guard, research ships

The Apex Aviation report identified the fishing vessel as “Minfudingyu 07902” and said it operated near Taiwan in mid-August alongside China Coast Guard vessel 2502 and the research ship Xiangyanghong 03.

China's maritime militia commonly uses fishing vessels as platforms. Their crews receive training and support and can operate alongside coast guard ships in disputed waters when necessary. Analysts say such vessels help Beijing advance its maritime claims while maintaining a civilian appearance.

However, Honor Hung, Apex Aviation's head of defense and security, said the three vessels were spread across an area of about 10 nautical miles. A single observation could not establish their missions or confirm whether they were coordinating their activities, Hung said.

Private monitoring adds to maritime security surveillance

Apex Aviation is known for pilot training and charter operations, and conducts maritime monitoring using civilian light aircraft equipped with US-made radar. The company said the patrol was carried out independently and was not commissioned by the Taiwan government.

The monitoring also highlights the potential role of private companies in providing relevant technology and observation capabilities as Taiwan promotes “whole-of-society defense resilience.” The Apex Aviation report combined radar imagery, infrared footage and vessel automatic identification system data to document the ships' movements.

The finding has drawn greater attention to Chinese vessel activity in waters east of Taiwan, but publicly available information remains insufficient to determine the three ships' specific missions or whether they were jointly conducting a particular exercise based solely on this observation.