CGA plans a historic 2027 visit to Philippines

Coast Guard Administration (CGA) ships are scheduled to sail to the Philippines bearing the words “Taiwan Coast Guard” in a high-profile visit in October next year, the first such visit by a Taiwanese maritime law enforcement vessel to the Southeast Asian nation, the agency said yesterday. The CGA also confirmed that it had donated one of its decommissioned patrol vessels to the Philippines in a rare transfer of a retired ship to a nondiplomatic ally. The Republic of China (ROC) Navy last made such a visit in 1974, shortly before the Philippines switched diplomatic recognition to the People’s Republic of China in 1975. Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration Official naval visits between Taiwan and the Philippines have effectively halted for half a century, a senior government official said on condition of anonymity. Unlike the navy’s goodwill missions, which involve an annual deployment of three ships intended to project force and conduct more sensitive operations, the CGA’s nonmilitary functions make it a more effective tool for overcoming Taiwan’s diplomatic difficulties, the official said. In September last year, the CGA’s 4,000-tonne Chiayi-class vessel Taipei (台北) visited Palau on a goodwill mission. The CGA’s planned visit to the Philippines next year would carry considerable geopolitical significance, the official said. Taiwan and the Philippines are both targets of China’s “gray zone” tactics, prompting the two sides to strengthen cooperation in maritime law enforcement and regional security, the official said. The efforts include the attendance of a senior Philippine Coast Guard official at Central Police University’s graduation ceremony last year and Taiwan’s donation of a retrofitted 500-tonne disaster relief and rescue vessel to the Philippines on Wednesday. According to media reports citing information from VesselFinder, a Philippine law enforcement vessel named Bling No. 1 sailed from the Port of Kaohsiung for sea trials before returning. Although stripped of its armaments and CGA markings, the vessel resembled the Lienchiang (連江), which was decommissioned on Oct. 27, 2023, or the Kinmen (金門). The CGA said in a statement that the transfer was “handled according to usual practice.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on whether it was the first time Taiwan had donated a vessel to the Philippines. Su Tzu-yu (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the donation was part of an international trend to counter China’s “expansionist behavior” at sea. Japan is to transfer decommissioned Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to the Philippines, while the US has transferred many patrol boats to the country, Su said. “China’s gray zone threats have prompted collaboration between the ‘white fleets,’” Su said. “This shows that Beijing’s actions have backfired.” Next year’s eight-day goodwill mission is to reportedly involve celestial navigation training using sextants, maritime operations and law enforcement instruction for 100 CGA personnel and students in Central Police University’s Department of Maritime Police. The trip is to facilitate exchanges with the Philippines on non-traditional security issues, including maritime humanitarian assistance and combating crime at sea. The approach would not only help reduce political sensitivities among neighboring countries, but also demonstrate Taiwan’s flexibility and adaptability as a maritime nation, the official said. GEOPOLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The CGA’s nonmilitary role makes it a tool to avert diplomatic issues, an official said, while confirming the donation of a ship to Manila Coast Guard Administration (CGA) ships are scheduled to sail to the Philippines bearing the words “Taiwan Coast Guard” in a high-profile visit in October next year, the first such visit by a Taiwanese maritime law enforcement vessel to the Southeast Asian nation, the agency said yesterday. The CGA also confirmed that it had donated one of its decommissioned patrol vessels to the Philippines in a rare transfer of a retired ship to a nondiplomatic ally. The Republic of China (ROC) Navy last made such a visit in 1974, shortly before the Philippines switched diplomatic recognition to the People’s Republic of China in ‘GLOBAL WARNING’: The infiltration is not just a local problem, as Beijing has been deploying the same tactics worldwide against Western democracies, a report said Between 50,000 and 100,000 Chinese spies are operating in Taiwan, far more than the National Security Bureau’s previous estimate of 5,000, German journalist and author Jurgen Kremb said on Monday. Kremb presented his research, titled “The War of Spies: How China’s Intelligence Services Are Infiltrating Taiwan — and What Europe Must Learn from It,” at a joint event held by the Taiwan offices of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the European Values Center for Security Policy. The report was published in June in the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau’s Prospect & Exploration Monthly (展望與探索月刊). By spies, he said he was referring to informants, PRICE STABILIZATION: The Ministry of Economic Affairs has urged the legislature to support the Cabinet’s supplementary budget for state-owned energy companies State-owned oil supplier CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) on Saturday announced that it would raise domestic gasoline prices by NT$0.7 (US$0.02) per liter and diesel prices by NT$0.6 per liter this week after international crude oil prices rose above US$100 per barrel last week. Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) yesterday said that it matched CPC’s price adjustments for this week. The decisions end a six-week period during which CPC and Formosa kept fuel prices in Taiwan unchanged. Retail gasoline prices this week would rise to NT$31.2, NT$32.7 and NT$34.7 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively at CPC More than 100 Taiwanese-Americans, Taiwanese lawmakers and members of civic groups on Saturday marched through New York City to call for Taiwan’s participation in the UN, with Marshall Island Permanent Representative to the UN John Silk joining the event to show support. Participants chanted: “UN for Taiwan” and “Keep Taiwan Free” as they marched through central Manhattan, passing Times Square and Bryant Park before ending near the New York Public Library. The annual march brought together Taiwanese community groups from across the US East Coast. Silk expressed hope that Taiwan would one day be able to participate in UN meetings