Taipei: Taiwan dispatched three patrol frigates to shadow and monitor Chinese coast guard vessels after the latter entered restricted waters off the Kinmen Islands, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said on Thursday.

According to Focus Taiwan, three Chinese coast guard vessels were detected sailing in formation outside restricted waters west of Dadan Island, part of the outlying Kinmen Island chain, at around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. The Chinese ships, designated 14605, 14606, and 14609, sailed one after another from the south of Dadan Island and entered Kinmen restricted waters at 3 p.m., prompting the CGA to deploy three patrol vessels to sail alongside each of them and prevent them from further advancing.

Via radio broadcasts in both Chinese and English, CGA personnel informed the Chinese vessels that their actions severely undermined regional peace and stability, posed a risk to navigation safety, and demanded that they leave immediately. The Chinese coast guard vessels left the area at 4:12 p.m.

Taiwan's CGA condemned the incursion in such poor weather as unprofessional and irrational, noting that it neglected navigational safety and greatly endangered passing vessels.