As China steps up its coast guard presence and military exercises around Taiwan — with a stated goal of being able to blockade it — the self-ruled island’s coast guard isn’t just standing idly by.
Determined to counter any attempt to cut off the island from the outside world, the law enforcement agency is gradually boosting its capabilities, training closely with Taiwan’s military and ramping up cooperation with its U.S., Japanese and Philippine counterparts.
“We need to be fully aware of Beijing’s capability to stage a full blockade as there is no question they are practicing to encircle Taiwan,” Sung Chen-En, deputy minister of Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), the island’s top government body for maritime security and governance, told The Japan Times during a recent exclusive interview in Taipei.
“They (the Chinese coast guard and military) are rehearsing the use of force to prevent ships from entering our ports. … But our job is to prevent that from happening,” he said.
“We will ensure that this never occurs and will convey this message to the Taiwanese people.”
