TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The head of the Coast Guard Administration emphasized on Wednesday (Oct. 16) that China's deployment of larger vessels are not necessarily more effective, particularly in Taiwan's shallow waters, where speed and quantity are prioritized for countering the Chinese coast guard's presence.
Director-General Chang Chung-lung (張忠龍) addressed Taiwan's strategic response to China's deployment of massive coast guard ships following the People's Liberation Army's (解放軍) Eastern Theater Command (東部戰區) launched the "Joint Sword-2024B" (聯合利劍-2024B) military exercises on Monday around Taiwan, marking the second such drill this year.
The exercise involved a record 125 military aircraft and drew significant international attention despite concluding in just 13 hours. Simultaneously, China's Coast Guard conducted a large-scale patrol around Taiwan, deploying a 10,000-ton vessel for the first time where Taiwan countered with 4,000-ton patrol ships.
Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) expressed concern over the tonnage disparity between Taiwanese and Chinese coast guard ships.
Chang responded, highlighting that China's "2901" vessel weighs 12,000 tons compared to Taiwan's coast guard ships, which weigh 4,000 tons, it isn't necessarily more effective.
In the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and National Defense Committee on Wednesday, National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) also addressed legislator Ma Wen-chun's (馬文君) inquiries about a possible "Joint Sword-2024C" drills.
Tsai noted the exercises often involve joint fire strikes, blockades, landings, and denial operations but could not predict specific scenarios. The ongoing developments underscore the complex dynamics in the Taiwan Strait, with further military activities anticipated, according to local media.