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A Chinese cruise ship, the Gulangyu, came within just two nautical miles (about 3.7 kilometres) of Taiwan\u2019s southern Hengchun Peninsula this week.<\/p>\n
The incident was first reported by Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook group run by civilians who keep track of Chinese military activities near Taiwan.<\/p>\n
The group shared video footage of the vessel as it passed through waters off southern Pingtung County, clearly visible from the shoreline.<\/p>\n
According to Taiwan ADIZ, the Gulangyu is a Bermuda-registered passenger ship that can carry up to 1,800 people.<\/p>\n
The group stated that if fully loaded, the number of people on board would be comparable to a battalion-sized military unit.<\/p>\n
It warned that if such incidents become frequent, they could pose a real threat to Taiwan\u2019s national security, especially considering the possibility of using such civilian vessels for military purposes during conflict situations.<\/p>\n
A video taken by a passenger on the cruise ship surfaced on Chinese social media. The video showed the Hengchun Peninsula along with simplified Chinese text that read: \u201cTaiwan is China.\u201d<\/p>\n
In response, Taiwan\u2019s Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling addressed the public on Friday.<\/p>\n
She said the ship\u2019s movement appeared to be part of China\u2019s ongoing \u201cgray zone\u201d tactics, which are provocative actions meant to intimidate or exert pressure without triggering open conflict.<\/p>\n
Kuan stressed the need for public awareness about such activities.<\/p>\n
She said the government has activated a cross-agency joint mechanism to manage such maritime events.<\/p>\n
The system involves the Coast Guard Administration, the Maritime and Port Bureau, and other national security bodies.<\/p>\n
According to Kuan, the Gulangyu entered Taiwan\u2019s territorial waters around 2 p.m. on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The ship maintained its course and speed and eventually left Taiwan\u2019s waters, moving toward the northeast.<\/p>\n
She said the vessel was under continuous watch by the Coast Guard Administration during its passage.<\/p>\n
The government plans to build a database specifically to track and monitor vessels that operate near sensitive areas, such as undersea communication cables to strengthen maritime surveillance.<\/p>\n
The focus will be on ships that are registered under flags of convenience and are suspected to have links to Chinese funding.<\/p>\n
Taiwan\u2019s Maritime and Port Bureau will enforce rules for foreign ships passing through, while the Coast Guard will focus on watching high-risk vessels, especially in important sea areas.<\/p>\n