Beijing has significantly expanded its offshore energy operations within Taiwan’s claimed maritime territory, with multiple drilling vessels and permanent structures now operating in areas Taipei considers part of its exclusive economic zone.
Satellite imagery and maritime tracking data reveal at least a dozen Chinese oil and gas exploration assets positioned within Taiwan’s claimed waters, including one vessel operating approximately 50 kilometers from the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands. Several fixed offshore drilling platforms have also been established in the region.
Security analysts describe these activities as consistent with China’s broader strategy of gradually asserting control over disputed territories. The operations are being conducted by state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), which has characterized its deep-water rigs as “mobile national territory” in previous statements.
The presence of these energy assets represents a long-term commitment to the area, with some installations having operated there for at least five years. The scale of operations is substantial, including vessels measuring over 240 meters in length and some of Asia’s largest wellhead platforms.
Taiwanese authorities have maintained limited public response to these developments. The island’s coast guard stated it continuously monitors maritime activity within its surveillance area but noted that oil drilling operations fall outside its jurisdiction.
Regional security experts suggest Taiwan faces significant challenges in countering these activities, given its ambiguous international status and limited maritime enforcement capabilities. The situation reflects broader tensions in the region, where China has steadily increased both military and civilian presence in contested waters.
Similar energy exploration activities have drawn protests from other neighboring countries, including Japan, which recently accused China of positioning multiple drilling rigs within its exclusive economic zone.
The strategic positioning of these energy assets has raised concerns among defense analysts, who note that offshore platforms could potentially serve dual military purposes in future conflict scenarios. However, Chinese officials maintain that their energy exploration activities are driven by economic needs rather than territorial ambitions.
The developments occur against a backdrop of increasing Chinese military exercises and coast guard patrols near Taiwan’s offshore islands, part of what analysts describe as a sustained campaign to test and gradually diminish Taiwan’s operational control over its surrounding waters.
