Taiwan says US training coast guard as China ramps up patrols

Taiwan said on August 14 that the United States was training its coast guard in maritime patrol and law enforcement skills, after growing Chinese activity in its waters.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and insists that waters around the island democracy come under its jurisdiction, which Taipei rejects.

Taiwan and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding in 2021 to boost maritime cooperation between their respective coast guards, but rarely publicise joint training exercises.

That appears to be changing after the de facto US embassy in Taiwan published an undated photo in July on Facebook of a US coast guard ship sailing beside a Taiwanese coast guard vessel.

The post came after Chinese ships began in June to patrol for the first time an area of the Western Pacific near Taiwan’s east coast, which Taipei branded as “provocative” and “expansionism in disguise”.

The US Coast Guard training from August 10-21 will focus on 'small-craft operations, team coordination and maritime patrols', Taiwan’s coast guard said in a statement.

The aim is to improve Taiwan’s “maritime law enforcement capabilities” when operating in “complex maritime operational environments”, it said.

Taiwan’s coast guard declined to provide further details about the training.

China has in recent years stepped up military and coast guard activity near Taiwan, deploying fighter jets, warships and other vessels around the island on an almost daily basis.


-AFP