Taiwan raises alarm as four Chinese ships enter "prohibited" waters

Taipei: Four Chinese coast guard vessels briefly navigated through waters near Taiwan's outlying island of Kinmen, prompting Taipei to urge Beijing to cease actions that jeopardize navigation safety.

China, asserting authority over Taiwan, considers the self-ruled democratic island as its integral part and has not ruled out using force to assert control.

The ships ventured into waters south of Kinmen, situated approximately five kilometers from the Chinese city of Xiamen, around 3:30 pm (0730 GMT) on Monday, as per Taiwan's coastguard statement.

Although the vessels exited the restricted waters about an hour later, Taiwan's coastguard called on Beijing to immediately halt actions endangering navigation safety.

This incursion occurred ahead of the May 20 inauguration of Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te, viewed by China as a separatist threat similar to outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen.

China had previously pledged to intensify patrols around Kinmen following fatal fishing incidents earlier this year.

Taiwanese authorities had asserted their actions in defense of their waters, while Beijing accused Taipei of concealing facts about the incidents.

In light of the heightened tensions, Taiwan announced enhanced support to its coastguard through surveillance and reconnaissance measures.

Despite concerns about potential disruptions to shipping supplies to offshore islands, Taiwan assured its preparedness to ensure regional security.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang emphasized Taiwan's readiness to deal with any unexpected situations, stating that there are currently no abnormalities in the Taiwan Strait.

Given the looming May 20 event, Taiwanese authorities remain vigilant for potential military maneuvers by Beijing.