Taiwan drives away 16 Chinese ships in what it calls 'hybrid warfare'
Chinese coast guard, research and fishing vessels operated off Taiwan's east, south and south-west and around the Pratas islands at the same time, Taipei says, with some entering restricted waters.
At a glance
- Taiwan's coast guard said it confronted and drove away 16 Chinese vessels on October 18 — coast guard, research and fishing ships, including four fishing boats.
- The ships operated simultaneously off Taiwan's eastern, southern and south-western coasts and around Pratas (Dongsha); some entered restricted waters.
- Taipei called it 'maritime harassment' and 'hybrid warfare' and condemned Beijing 'in the strongest terms'.
- Chinese vessel deployments around Taiwan hit a record 244 in July, up from 58 a year earlier, according to Taiwanese figures.
Taiwan says its coast guard confronted and drove away 16 Chinese vessels that operated around the island and its outlying Pratas islands at the same time on Saturday, October 18, in what Taipei described as "maritime harassment" and "hybrid warfare".
What happened
According to Taiwan's coast guard, the 16 ships were a mix of Chinese coast guard, scientific research and fishing vessels, including four fishing boats. They appeared at several places at once: off Taiwan's eastern, southern and south-western coasts, and around Pratas (also called Dongsha), a small Taiwan-controlled atoll in the South China Sea. Some entered waters that Taiwan designates as restricted.
The coast guard called the number of vessels "unusually large" and said its patrol ships took "forceful action immediately to effectively neutralise the threats". It accused Beijing of trying to change the status quo unilaterally and said it "condemns them in the strongest terms". No Chinese government response to the incident had been published.
A steep rise in Chinese ship activity
Saturday's operation follows months of growing pressure at sea. According to official Taiwanese figures, Chinese government ships deployed around Taiwan's main island rose sharply this year:
| Period | Chinese ships around Taiwan |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | 30 |
| June 2026 | 55 |
| July 2026 | 244 (record) |
| July 2025 | 58 |
| August 1–21, 2026 | 152 |
About 60% of these ships are coast guard vessels; the rest are research vessels and other government boats. The figures do not include Chinese warships, which Taiwan's military tracks separately and which operate near the island almost every day.
China also began what it calls law-enforcement patrols east of Taiwan in June, a move Taipei called "provocative" and "expansionism in disguise". On October 1, Taiwan's coast guard used a water cannon against a Chinese recreational fishing vessel near Pratas, which drew an angry response from Beijing.
Competing claims
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of China and claims jurisdiction over the surrounding waters, as well as over Pratas and most of the South China Sea. It has never ruled out using force to take control of Taiwan. Taipei rejects Beijing's claims. Earlier this month, Taiwan's president said a planned increase in defence spending was meant to "deter war", and Beijing has recently sanctioned officials from countries that keep ties with Taiwan.
Why Pratas matters
Pratas lies about 440km south-west of southern Taiwan and much closer to the Chinese coast, near busy shipping lanes linking the Pacific and the South China Sea. It is lightly defended and hard to resupply, which makes it a likely target for "grey-zone" tactics — pressure that stops short of open conflict but tests how Taiwan responds.
Why it matters beyond the region
Most of the world's container trade between East Asia, the Gulf, South Asia and Europe passes through the waters around Taiwan and the South China Sea, and Taiwan produces most of the world's advanced computer chips. Any escalation in the area would affect shipping costs and electronics supplies worldwide, including in Pakistan and the Gulf.
What happens next
Taiwan's coast guard publishes regular counts of Chinese ships near the island. Analysts will watch whether the coordinated operations of October 18 become a new pattern, and how Beijing responds to Taipei's statement.
Questions people are asking
What happened between Taiwan and China at sea on October 18, 2026?
Taiwan's coast guard said 16 Chinese coast guard, research and fishing vessels operated at several locations around Taiwan and the Pratas islands at the same time, some inside restricted waters, and that it drove them away.
Where are the Pratas Islands?
The Pratas (Dongsha) Islands lie in the South China Sea, about 440km south-west of southern Taiwan. They are controlled by Taiwan but claimed by China.
Why does Taiwan call it 'hybrid warfare'?
Taiwan uses the term for coordinated pressure that stops short of open conflict — such as coast guard, research and fishing vessels operating together near its waters to test its response.
