Taiwan and China Coast Guards Enter Second-Day Standoff Near Pratas Islands

TAIPEI, 24 May 2026 – Taiwan and China’s coast guards are locked in a tense standoff near the Pratas Islands in the northern South China Sea, raising fresh concerns over Beijing’s growing use of maritime pressure around Taiwan-controlled outposts.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard said a Chinese Coast Guard vessel approached the Pratas Islands, known in Taiwan as Dongsha, prompting Taipei to dispatch one of its own ships to monitor and confront the vessel. The encounter has entered its second day, with both sides exchanging warnings by radio and asserting competing sovereignty claims over the area.