Kinmen, Taiwan (May 19, 2024) — In a strategic move to ensure security ahead of President-elect Lai Ching-te’s inauguration, Taiwan’s Coast Guard has intensified its patrols around the country’s outlying islands, which have recently witnessed an increased presence of Chinese vessels. This heightened vigilance underscores the rising tensions between Taipei and Beijing as Lai, perceived by China as a “dangerous separatist,” prepares to assume office.

The Coast Guard Administration, under the Ocean Affairs Council, confirmed the deployment of personnel to conduct continuous 24-hour surveillance around Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu. These islands, critical to Taiwan’s defense perimeter, have become focal points due to their proximity to mainland China. Kinmen, in particular, lies just five kilometers from the Chinese city of Xiamen and has experienced significant Chinese coast guard activity.

In an official statement, the Coast Guard emphasized its commitment to national security, stating, “In order to ensure the security of the sea area and border safety during the inauguration ceremony, the Ocean Affairs Council’s Coast Guard Administration’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Division once again implemented a powerful patrol operation… to closely monitor suspicious targets.”

The escalated patrols coincide with reports from Taiwan’s defense ministry, which detected seven Chinese aircraft and an equal number of naval vessels in the vicinity within the past 24 hours. The sighting of military transport helicopters over Pingtan, a Chinese city with a military base near Taiwan, further amplifies concerns.

Lai’s inauguration will draw significant international attention, with former U.S. officials, lawmakers from Britain, Japan, Germany, Canada, and leaders from Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies in attendance. Despite the festive backdrop, Lai faces substantial domestic and international challenges, notably the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) loss of its parliamentary majority in January’s elections.

Addressing international delegations on the eve of his inauguration, Lai expressed gratitude for their support, reiterating Taiwan’s commitment to democracy and global engagement. “We will continue to walk on the path of democracy and we will continue to engage with the world to make Taiwan stronger,” Lai affirmed, seeking sustained international backing.

In his inaugural speech, Lai is expected to extend an olive branch to Beijing, proposing “concrete” goodwill measures and advocating for peace across the Taiwan Strait. The senior official briefing on the matter indicated that Lai would emphasize Taiwan’s role as a regional peace promoter, a continuation of outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen’s policy stance, albeit with a renewed call for resuming high-level communications severed since 2016.

As tensions simmer, Taiwan’s enhanced patrols and Lai’s forthcoming overtures to China will be closely watched, signaling the island’s strategic balancing act between asserting its sovereignty and seeking regional stability.

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