Kinmen coast guard has turned away 381 Chinese vessels this year

Sep 24, 2026

Taiwan's coast guard is stepping up patrols around Kinmen, a sign that pressure from Chinese boats in the strait is not letting up.

  • Taiwan's coast guard unit at Kinmen says it has pushed out 60 Chinese boats that crossed into restricted waters this year, plus 381 Chinese government and watched vessels.
  • A special crackdown ran over the Mid-Autumn Festival period, when demand for goods jumps and smuggling picks up.
  • Radar, heat-sensing cameras, and shore monitoring are being used to spot boats earlier, with extra patrols on the Kinmen–Xiamen route.
  • The unit is also guarding against African swine fever, and has pulled a dozen drifting pig carcasses from the shoreline this year.
  • Seizures this year include mainland food and farm products, e-cigarette gear, drugs, and live animals.

Outlook: Expect the tighter patrols and "gray zone" standoffs around Kinmen to continue, with Chinese vessels testing the line and Taiwan answering with more surveillance rather than force.

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