Taiwan accuses China of harassment after Pratas Islands clash

Taiwanese authorities accused China of harassment on Saturday after a Chinese coast guard vessel entered restricted waters near the Pratas Islands. The islands are coral atolls in the South China Sea that are administered by Taiwan but claimed by Beijing.

According to the Taiwan Coast Guard, the Chinese ship entered the area early on Saturday morning. A Taiwanese patrol boat intercepted the vessel and requested that it withdraw. At the closest point during the encounter, the two ships were only 1.9 kilometers, or one nautical mile, apart.

The Taiwan Coast Guard stated that this incident marks the 13th intrusion of its kind near the Pratas Islands this year. In total, 16 vessels were involved in these interactions over the past several months. The agency urged Beijing to stop these actions immediately, describing them as useless acts of harassment.

Beijing maintains that the waters it patrols fall under its jurisdiction. In a statement released on Saturday, the China Coast Guard said it had dispatched a group of ships to conduct a routine law enforcement patrol in waters east of Taiwan.

The Chinese statement declared that the service would continue to intensify patrols in areas under its control. It added that these measures are designed to firmly safeguard the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

Tensions between the two sides have risen in recent months. China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province, sends warships and military aircraft close to the island almost every day. In the latest escalation, Beijing has increased coast guard patrols, particularly in the waters east of the island, which has raised alarms in Taipei.

In June, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issued a joint declaration expressing concern over Chinese activities in that region. The three nations stated that such actions put regional stability at risk.