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12h ago

Taiwan Minister Visits Itu Aba as Coast Guard Stages Armed Interdiction Drill

The rare trip signals a public bid to assert Taiwan's law enforcement authority over Taiping Island.

Kuan Bi-ling, minister of Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council, which runs the Coast Guard Administration, speaks during a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, April 2, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang

Overview

  • Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council minister, Kuan Bi-ling, visited Itu Aba to observe coast guard exercises.
  • The trip was the first minister-level visit to the island in seven years, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.
  • The drills featured special forces boarding a cargo ship that ignored radio calls and escorting it to the island for checks.
  • Officials released video of the boarding that showed an officer telling the crew they were in waters under Taiwan's jurisdiction.
  • Taiwan described the drills as humanitarian and pollution-response training, and Itu Aba's runway and a 2023 wharf support its presence in a trade‑critical sea claimed by China, Vietnam and the Philippines.