Taiwan Expels Chinese Research Ship for Illegal Survey
Taiwan's coast guard intercepted the Chinese ship Tongji for suspected illegal surveys. Officials used wake interference to force the vessel to depart Monday.
Taiwan coast guard officials expelled a China research vessel after disrupting its unauthorized survey operations near the island's southern tip. The encounter occurred on Thursday when the Tongji, commissioned in 2023, was detected 29 nautical miles southeast of Taiwan. Taipei views such civilian-badged survey ships as part of a broader pattern of grey zone maritime pressure designed to exhaust its defensive resources.
### Wake Interference Halts Survey Operations The coast guard detected the Tongji lowering ropes and scientific instruments into the water during the afternoon. Taiwanese authorities deployed a patrol vessel to create wake interference and broadcasted warnings to halt the activity. The Chinese ship eventually retrieved its equipment and altered course to exit the area.
