Marine Link
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Chinese Coast News

05 Mar 2024

Philippines Summons China Diplomat Over 'Aggressive' Actions in South China Sea

© luzitanija / Adobe Stock

The Philippines summoned China's deputy chief of mission in Manila on Tuesday to protest what it called "aggressive actions" by Chinese naval forces against a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed on a South China Sea shoal.Manila's South China Sea task force said Philippine vessels carrying out the routine mission to the Second Thomas Shoal were "harassed (and) blocked" by Chinese maritime militia and coast guard ships on Tuesday.Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannon…

20 Feb 2024

China Coast Guard Boarded Taiwanese Boat Near Frontline Islands

© barks / Adobe Stock

Chinese coast guard personnel briefly boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat near Taiwan-controlled islands next to China's coast on Monday, the government in Taipei said, in an escalation of tensions after China said it would carry out regular patrols.China announced on Sunday that its coast guard would strengthen law enforcement activity around the Kinmen islands following the death of two Chinese nationals fleeing Taiwan's coast guard having entered into prohibited waters too close to Kinmen, which lies opposite the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou.Taiwan's coast guard said in a statement th

20 Feb 2024

Taiwan Says China Triggered Panic by Boarding Tourist Boat

© Peter Hermes Furian / Adobe Stock

The boarding of a Taiwanese tourist boat by China's coast guard near sensitive frontline islands triggered "panic" among Taiwan's people, a government minister said on Tuesday, but Taiwan's military added it was not planning to get involved.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the island's rejection, has been wary of efforts by Beijing to ramp up pressure on Taipei following the election last month of Lai Ching-te as president, a man Beijing views as a dangerous…

18 Feb 2024

China to Send Coast Guard Ships as Tensions Rise Over Taiwanese islands

© Peter Hermes Furian / Adobe Stock

China's coast guard said on Sunday it will strengthen its law enforcement activities and carry out regular patrols around a small group of Taiwanese-controlled islands off the Chinese coast as tensions rise over the deaths of two Chinese nationals.Taiwan on Thursday defended the actions of its coast guard after two people on a Chinese speedboat, which got too close to a frontline Taiwanese island, died when their boat overturned while trying to flee a coast guard ship.

12 Feb 2024

Philippines Accuses China of Dangerous Maneuvers Near Scarborough Shoal

(Photo: Philippine Coast Guard)

The Philippines' coast guard (PCG) on Sunday accused China of "dangerous and blocking" manoeuvres while its vessel patrolled near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea this month.Manila's coast guard said in a statement that on a nine-day patrol near the shoal by its 97-meter (318-foot) vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua, four Chinese coast guard (CCG) vessels had shadowed the boat more than 40 times.Four Chinese maritime militia vessels were also present near the shoal, the PCG said.Located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ)…

23 Oct 2023

Philippines Says Chinese Coastguard 'Intentionally' Collided with Its Boats

(Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines)

The Philippines on Monday accused Chinese coastguard vessels of "intentionally" colliding with its vessels on a resupply mission in a disputed part of the South China Sea, as ties deteriorated between the Southeast Asian U.S. ally and Beijing.Both sides traded accusations after the latest incident on Sunday, which was the most serious yet in the waters around the disputed Second Thomas shoal, though no one was harmed.China said on Sunday that the Philippine boats "bumped dangerously" with the coastguard vessels and "Chinese fishing vessels" fishing there.On Monday…

10 Oct 2023

Near Collision, Tense Encounter as Beijing Flexes Muscles in South China Sea

© luzitanija / Adobe Stock

The crew of the Philippine coastguard boat watch anxiously as an imposing Chinese vessel draws near and cuts off its path, coming within a metre of collision in a vast stretch of open water in the South China Sea.The captain of the BRP Sindangan shuts off the engine and activates the reverse throttle. China's coastguard issues a warning via megaphone to leave as the Filipino crew watch closely on a radar that shows two vessels side by side."In accordance with international and Philippine national laws we are proceeding…

26 Sep 2023

Philippines Condemns Chinese 'Floating Barrier' in South China Sea

(Photo: Philippine Coast Guard)

The Philippines on Sunday accused China's coast guard of installing a "floating barrier" in a disputed area of the South China Sea, saying it prevented Filipinos from entering and fishing in the area.Manila's coast guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources "strongly condemn" China's installation of the barrier in part of the Scarborough Shoal, Commodore Jay Tarriela, a coast guard spokesperson, posted on the X social media platform, formerly Twitter.The barrier blocking fishermen from the shoal was depriving them of their fishing and livelihood activities…

27 Aug 2023

China's Behaviour in South China Sea must be Challenged - U.S. Navy Official

© Alejandro / Adobe Stock

China's "aggressive behaviour" in the South China Sea, including the use of water canon by its coast guard against a Philippine vessel, must be challenged and checked, the commander of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet said on Sunday.Vice Admiral Karl Thomas assured the Philippines of U.S. backing in the face of "shared challenges" in the region, saying: "My forces are out here for a reason."The largest of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed fleets, the Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Japan…

14 Jul 2023

China Drives Japanese Fishing Ship from Contested Islands

© vadimmmus / Adobe Stock

Chinese coast guard authorities said it took "necessary control measures" and drove away a Japanese fishing vessel that had entered "territorial waters" around Senkaku Islands, state media reported."We urge the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities in the waters and ensure that similar incidents do not recur," China Marine Police spokesperson Gan Yu said, according to the report late Thursday.China calls the islands Diaoyu while Japan calls them Senkaku.

01 May 2023

US Says Chinese Coast Guard Harassing Philippine Vessels

© Mariusz / Adobe Stock

The United States urged China on Saturday to stop harassing Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, pledging to stand with the Philippines after another maritime confrontation between the two Asian countries."We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct," the U.S. State Department said in a statement.The Philippines on Friday accused China's coast guard of "aggressive tactics" following an incident during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippines-held Second Thomas Shoal…

21 Apr 2023

US Set to Blow Up Fake Warship in the South China Sea

Amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), right, transits with Philippine navy ships BRP Tarlac (FF 601), left, and BRP Jose Rizal (FF 150) during a replenishment-at-sea rehearsal for Balikatan 23, April 15, 2023 in the Philippines territorial waters. (Photo: Kendra Helmbrecht / U.S. Navy)

As part of a joint military exercise with the Philippines, the U.S. Navy is slated to sink a mock warship on April 26, 2023, in the South China Sea.The live-fire drill is not a response to increased tensions with China over Taiwan, both the U.S. and the Philippines have stressed. But, either way, Beijing isn’t happy – responding by holding its own staged military event involving actual warships and fighter jets deployed around Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own.The tit-for-tat war games underscore a reality that U.S.

06 Apr 2023

Taiwan Watching Chinese Movements After Beijing Denounces US Speaker Meeting

U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in formation with the Japanese destroyer JS Umigiri (DD 158), South Korea's destroyers ROKS Yul Gok Yi (DDG 992), ROKS Dae Jo young (DDH 977) and ROKS Choi Young (DDH 981), combat support ship ROKS So Yang (AOE 51), and the U.S. destroyers USS Decatur (DDG 73) and USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) in the East China Sea on April 4, 2023. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

Taiwan was keeping a close watch on a Chinese aircraft carrier and threats to inspect ships in the Taiwan Strait on Thursday after Beijing condemned a meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.McCarthy - the third highest ranking official in the U.S. leadership hierarchy - and other Republican and Democratic lawmakers met Tsai on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.The meeting took place at a low ebb of U.S.-China relations and despite threats of retaliation from Beijing…

15 Mar 2023

China Coast Guard Enters Disputed Waters in East China Sea

(File photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

China's coast guard entered the waters around disputed East China Sea islets on Wednesday to counter what it called the incursion of Japanese vessels into Chinese territorial waters.Disputed East China Sea islets claimed by China and Japan have long been a sticking point in bilateral ties.

16 Jan 2023

Indonesia Dispatches Warship to Monitor Chinese Coast Guard Vessel Near Offshore Fields

©Harbour Energy

Indonesia has deployed a warship to its North Natuna Sea to monitor a Chinese coast guard vessel that has been active in a resource-rich maritime area, the country's naval chief said on Saturday of an area that both countries claim as their own.Ship tracking data shows the vessel, CCG 5901, has been sailing in the Natuna Sea, particularly near the Tuna Bloc gas field and the Vietnamese Chim Sao oil and gas field since Dec. 30, the Indonesian Ocean Justice Initiative told Reuters.A warship…

30 Sep 2022

Taiwan Inducts New Amphibious Ship in Push to Bolster Defense Industry

Credit: Taiwan Military News Agency - Photo by Wang Mingsheng

Taiwan's navy took delivery on Friday of a new, domestically made amphibious warfare ship that can be used to land troops and bolster supply lines to vulnerable islands, part of President Tsai Ing-wen's defense self-sufficiency push. The 10,600-tonne Yu Shan, named after Taiwan's tallest mountain, is the latest development in Tsai's ambitious program to modernize the armed forces amid increased pressure from China, which claims the island as its own.Speaking at the delivery ceremony in the southern port city of Kaohsiung…

11 Apr 2022

Philippines, China Call for Restraint in South China Sea

© luzitanija / Adobe Stock

Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to exercise restraint to maintain peace in the South China Sea, Manila's presidential office said on Saturday.The two leaders held an hour-long telephone summit on Friday, discussing a broad range of topics including concerns over the Ukraine crisis and COVID-19 pandemic responses."The leaders stressed the need to exert all efforts to maintain peace, security and stability in the South China Sea by exercising restraint…

28 Mar 2022

Philippines Slams Chinese Ship's 'Close Distance Maneuvering'

(Photo: Philippine Coast Guard)

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday reported a recent incident of "close distance maneuvering" by a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel in the disputed South China Sea that "constrained" the movement of a Philippine ship sailing nearby.The March 2 incident took place during the PCG's maritime patrol operations around the Scarborough Shoal, locally known as Bajo de Masinloc, the PCG said in a news release.It was yet unclear whether the Philippines had lodged a diplomatic protest for the incident.

16 Sep 2021

Indonesia Boosts Naval Patrols after Foreign Ships Detected near Natuna

(File photo: Indonesian Navy)

Indonesian navy has increased patrols around its Natuna islands in the South China Sea after Chinese and U.S. vessels were detected nearby in international waters, despite saying there were no disturbance from the vessels, a navy official said on Thursday.Five navy vessels, assisted by an air patrol, have been deployed in North Natuna Sea to secure the area, Indonesian Navy western fleet commander Arsyad Abdullah told reporters.“The Navy’s position on the North Natuna Sea is very…

12 Jul 2021

China Says It 'Drove Away' US Warship

(Photo: Nathan Burke / U.S. Navy)

China's military said it "drove away" a U.S. warship that illegally entered Chinese waters near the Paracel Islands on Monday, the anniversary of an international court ruling that held Beijing had no claim over the South China Sea.The USS Benfold entered the waters without China's approval, seriously violating its sovereignty and undermining the stability of the South China Sea, the southern theatre command of the People's Liberation Army said."We urge the United States to immediately stop such provocative actions…

13 Apr 2021

Taiwan Bolsters Navy with New Amphibious Warfare Ship

(Photo: CSBC Corporation Taiwan)

Taiwan unveiled a new amphibious warfare ship on Tuesday that can be used to land troops and will bolster supply lines to vulnerable islands offshore China and in the South China Sea.The 10,600-tonne Yu Shan, named after Taiwan’s tallest mountain, is the latest part of President Tsai Ing-wen’s ambitious program to modernize the armed forces amid pressure from China, which claims the island as its own.Built by state-backed CSBC Corporation Taiwan, the ship will enter service next year…

10 Feb 2021

Anastasia Crew Debarks in Japan After Six Months Stuck off China

The crew of bulk carrier Anastasia has debarked in Japan after six months stuck at anchorage off the coast of northern China.The vessel, its coal cargo and mostly Indian crew had been at a standstill since September amid the ongoing COVID-19 crew change crisis and a trade spat including a Chinese ban on Australian coal imports. Anastasia's operator Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which maintains the Panamanian-flagged vessel and organizes its crew, said the ship's charterer and subcharterer were caught in the resulting political and trade uncertainty as dozens of bulkers were left idled off the Chinese coast for months.Making the problem worse is an international crew change crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that has left hundreds of thousands of seafarers trapped at sea.

05 Feb 2021

China's Latest Weapon Against Taiwan: The Sand Dredger

© Frank / Adobe Stock

Taiwanese coast guard commander Lin Chie-ming is on the frontline of a new type of warfare that China is waging against Taiwan. China’s weapon? Sand.On a chilly morning in late January, Lin, clad in an orange uniform, stood on the rolling deck of his boat as it patrolled in choppy waters off the Taiwan-run Matsu Islands. A few kilometers away, the Chinese coast was faintly visible from Lin’s boat. He was on the lookout for Chinese sand-dredging ships encroaching on waters controlled by Taiwan.The Chinese goal…

Subscribe for
Maritime Reporter E-News

Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week