China warns Taiwan of repercussions after water-cannon clash near Pratas Islands

In a recent encounter near the Pratas Islands, a Taiwan Coast Guard cutter deployed its water cannon against a Chinese vessel that failed to heed orders to leave the restricted zone, after which the boat experienced engine trouble and was rescued by a nearby Chinese ship. Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua asserted that China holds “indisputable sovereignty” over the islands and their surrounding waters, declaring that mainland ships operate legally and that Taiwan would bear the consequences of its “dangerous” treatment of Chinese vessels.

Taiwan’s coast guard characterized the incident as standard, careful law-enforcement action. The Pratas lie roughly midway between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong and are considered vulnerable to Chinese attack due to their distance from Taiwan. Security analysts say the episode illustrates China’s expanding “grey-zone” tactics, using a mix of coast guard, militia and research vessels to pressure Taipei without crossing into open conflict. Taiwan’s National Security Council deputy secretary-general Lii Wen warned that such incremental aggression could disrupt transport and damage critical infrastructure, while the islands remain a national park with an airstrip but no permanent civilian residents.