Taiwan accuses China of harassment after standoff between coast guard ships

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan’s coast guard accused China of harassment after a Chinese vessel entered restricted waters near a disputed coral island administered by Taiwan in the South China Sea.

China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to annex it. Beijing sends warships and military jets near the island almost daily, and in recent months has stepped up coast guard patrols, especially in waters east of Taiwan, raising alarm in Taipei.

The Chinese coast guard vessel entered waters near the Pratas Islands, southwest of Taiwan’s main island, early on Saturday, Taiwan’s coast guard said. It added that a Taiwanese coast guard vessel confronted the Chinese ship and asked it to leave.

At the height of the standoff, the two ships came within just 1 nautical mile (1.9 kilometers) of each other, Taiwan’s coast guard said.

Beijing says the waters it patrols fall under its jurisdiction.

Taiwan’s coast guard called on Beijing “to immediately cease these pointless acts of harassment.” It said that the incident was the 13th such intrusion near the Pratas Islands this year, involving 16 vessels.

Also on Saturday, China’s coast guard announced it had sent a group of vessels to conduct a “routine law enforcement patrol” in waters east of Taiwan.

“The China Coast Guard will continue to intensify its law enforcement patrols in waters under its jurisdiction, firmly upholding the nation’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” its statement read.

In June, France, Germany and Britain issued a rare joint statement expressing alarm over Chinese activities east of Taiwan, saying they endangered regional stability.