In the latest developments, US and allied navies from Taiwan and Japan recently intercepted three Chinese warships in the Pacific, as reported by eyewitnesses and news sources.
Taiwan ADIZ, a group of former Taiwanese military personnel turned ship and plane spotters, observed an unidentified Taiwan Navy Kee Lung class destroyer and Taiwan Coast Guard cutter, Nantou. On June 4, two Chinese vessels were radio-challenged and expelled from Taiwan’s east coast.
They spotted a flotilla of Chinese Type 054A Jiangkai II Class frigates, including Huanggang and Yangzhou, headed southwards towards Wushibi island, off Taiwan’s eastern Yilan district.
China‘s continuous claim over Taiwan, despite Taipei’s rejection, has led to increased warship and fighter jet presence near Taiwanese waters, seen as a tactic to pressure Taipei psychologically and prepare for potential conflicts.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry and coast guard have been unresponsive to comments, while the Ministry tracks daily Chinese military activities near Taiwan, noting recent detections of Chinese naval ships and helicopters in the region.
Japan’s Joint Staff Office reported intercepting the Chinese frigate Huanggang near the Senkaku Islands, with the Maritime Self-Defense Force monitoring the situation using P-1 aircraft through the Miyako Strait.
The Miyako Strait, a crucial waterway between Miyako Island and Okinawa, acts as a key passage for the Chinese Navy to access the Pacific Ocean through Japan’s island chains.
China’s Defense Ministry remains silent regarding these maneuvers, leaving observers and analysts speculating about the intentions behind these recent naval encounters.