Chinese Fleet Raises Tensions After Interception In Restricted Waters

A significant point of contention for the People's Republic of China is the small island nation of Taiwan. Without delving too deeply into history, the issue revolves around the fact that China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, although Taiwan operates effectively as a sovereign nation. China has not ruled out using force to take control of Taiwan, but the fact that countries like the United States are close allies complicates things. As it stands, a constant back-and-forth between the two nations keeps the waters southeast of China tense.

Case in point: In September 2025, an incident occurred in the Taiwan Strait, which divides China from Taiwan. Four Chinese vessels entered restricted waters multiple times over three days. China hasn't yet commented on the incident, per Newsweek, but Taiwan says China is establishing a more regular presence in this region as a means of harassment. 

This isn't the first time China has intensified patrols in the contested waters. In February 2024, two Chinese fishermen drowned while being pursued by Taiwan's Coast Guard. China also performed two days of military drills in the Taiwan Strait in April 2025. Although China said these exercises were a "routine arrangement," its expansion in the region continues to increase tensions.

China's patrols are in restricted waters, but they have't engaged in any direct military action. However, Taiwan says China is performing something called "gray zone tactics," which basically means that a country does some sort of coercive action that disrupts the balance between nations without engaging in any sort of warfare. Essentially, Taiwan feels it is forced to act in some way when a neighbor like China sends four warships to restricted waters in various military formations. This would be similar to a country like Russia parking four warships off the coast of the United States. It's clear in these situations that the presence of these warships is not simply a coincidence.

In the case of the event in September 2025, China's warships approached Kinmen County, a small group of Taiwanese islands that is its closest land to China. Should China use its navy's warships to attack, this region could be the first domino to fall, so any incursion into its restricted waterways is taken seriously. At the same time, these gray zone tactics have been going on for years. 

For now, Taiwan will continue to monitor its water and airspace to ensure China doesn't get too close. Fortunately, the U.S. maintains an unofficial defensive tie with Taiwan and keeps some of the country's many aircraft carriers nearby. The U.S. and Taiwan did have a more formal alliance with a mutual defense treaty, but this expired in 1979. With any luck, the U.S. Navy won't have to activate any of its aircraft carriers in the region — though it appears likely that China will continue to test the waters, so to speak.