China is conducting oil and gas drilling operations within Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a move that analysts interpret as part of Beijing’s efforts to unilaterally assert control over disputed territories, possibly facilitating a future invasion of Taiwan. Between July and August, at least 12 oil and gas vessels and permanent structures, including some situated within 50 kilometers of the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands, were detected inside Taiwan’s EEZ. The presence of these structures, including large fixed offshore drilling platforms, indicates a significant expansion of Chinese maritime activities and has raised concerns among experts about Beijing’s “greyzone” strategies for territorial expansion.
Beijing claims the entirety of the South China Sea despite international legal rulings against its claims, and it views Taiwan as a breakaway province. In pursuit of forcibly annexing Taiwan, China has employed a “salami slicing” strategy, progressively and forcibly reducing the space Taipei can control and defend. The drilling activities and encroachment on Taiwan’s EEZ by Chinese vessels owned by the state-run China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) have not yet been officially contested by the Taiwanese government. This lack of response has puzzled analysts, who warn that such inaction might normalize Beijing’s aggressive territorial claims and embolden further incursion.
The presence of these structures also raises concerns about their potential dual-use capabilities, serving both commercial and military objectives, potentially aiding in a range of coercive or hostile actions against Taiwan. Over the past five years, alongside these drilling activities, China has intensified its military drills and incursions around Taiwan, demonstrating its strategy to erode Taiwan’s defenses systematically. The constant presence and operation of these drilling vessels and platforms might be seen as a deliberate strategy by China to keep Taiwan preoccupied and to subtly extend its territorial reach without igniting overt conflict. Taiwan’s government, facing these challenges, has maintained a cautious approach to official responses, highlighting the complexity of dealing with such aggressive yet technically legal maneuvers by China.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/02/china-drilling-oil-gas-inside-taiwan-exclusive-economic-zone
