Published On 7/8/2026
A Taiwanese security official warned on Wednesday that what he described as China’s “authoritarian expansion” in the maritime sphere is likely to continue, unless countermeasures are taken at the international level to deter this trend.
This statement came at a time when Chinese ships continue to roam extensively in the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the South China Sea, in an effort by Beijing to translate its sovereignty claims into strategic waters and islands, including Taiwan.
Li Wen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Taiwan National Security Council, explained, during his participation in the “Taiwan International Ocean Forum”, that Beijing is following a strategy based on “gradual expansion”, by achieving successive small gains to reach its major strategic goals.
The Taiwanese official indicated that this “expansion” is evident in China’s employment of a mixture of military vessels, coast guard ships, “maritime militias”, and research vessels, with the aim of “converting international shipping lanes into internal waters.”
Lee concluded his warning by emphasizing that “if the international community fails to take these concerns into account or take practical steps, this expansion will continue.”
For her part, Taiwanese Minister of Maritime Affairs Kwan Pei-ling pointed out that countries such as Japan and the Philippines are facing “the same pattern of actions” practiced by China, noting that these movements are being deliberately contained by the parties concerned to avoid sliding into a conventional war.
These warnings come in the wake of a new confrontation in the waters near disputed islands, which Tokyo calls “Senkaku” and Beijing calls “Diaoyu.”
While the Japanese Coast Guard confirmed the removal of two Chinese ships that approached a Japanese fishing boat, the Chinese side announced that it had removed the Japanese boat, claiming it had “illegally entered” Chinese territorial waters.
China demands jurisdiction over the waters surrounding Taiwan, which it considers part of its territory, which Taipei rejects, amid fears that Beijing may resort to a naval blockade to impose control over commercial shipping traffic around the archipelago of more than 80 islands that make up the country.
