Taiwan stages South China Sea drills
- Taiwan's Ocean Affairs minister visited Taiping Island to run drills that included practising the armed boarding of suspicious ships. - Focus Taiwan reported it was the first ministerial visit in seven years and included a maritime rescue exercise. - The visit comes as the US and Philippines conduct large Balikatan drills and China increases island build-ups in the South China Sea (reuters.com).
Taiwan sent its coast guard minister to Taiping Island this week for drills that included boarding a “suspicious” ship in the South China Sea. (reuters.com) Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling visited the Taiwan-controlled outpost on Tuesday, April 21, and the coast guard disclosed the trip late on April 22. Taiwan’s statement said the exercise covered humanitarian relief, medical evacuation and marine pollution response. (reuters.com) One drill had coast guard special forces board a cargo vessel that ignored radio calls and escort it back to the island for investigation. Focus Taiwan said Kuan also watched a maritime rescue exercise, and called it the first visit by an Ocean Affairs Council head in seven years. (focustaiwan.tw) Taiping, also known as Itu Aba, sits in the Spratly Islands, where Taiwan, China, Vietnam and the Philippines all maintain claims. Taiwan controls the island even as Beijing and Taipei both claim sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. (reuters.com) The visit landed in the middle of a crowded week in regional waters. The United States and the Philippines opened Balikatan 2026 on April 20, with more than 17,000 troops training through May 8 and Japan joining as an active participant for the first time. (cpf.navy.mil) China has added pressure on several fronts this month. Reuters reported on April 15 that Chinese vessels and a floating barrier were tightening control at the entrance to Scarborough Shoal, a contested feature claimed by Beijing and Manila. (reuters.com) Beijing said on April 23 that it would further build up more than 11,000 islands it says it owns, part of a longer campaign to strengthen maritime control and resource access. Reuters said China has already built artificial islands, airstrips and military facilities in disputed South China Sea waters. (reuters.com) Taiwan has upgraded Taiping’s logistics in recent years. Taiwan News reported that a pier completed in 2023 can take 4,000-tonne coast guard vessels, and that the defense ministry sent a C-130 transport aircraft during this week’s drill for emergency medical evacuation support. (taiwannews.com.tw) Taipei framed the exercise as coast guard and rescue work, not a military deployment. But the image it put on display was the same one Kuan’s trip underscored from the start: Taiwan intends to show a minister, a runway, patrol boats and boarding teams on a far-flung island it still holds. (reuters.com)
