Taiwan's coast guard held drills with the military on Sunday to better practise joint operations in the face of what the government in Taipei describes as a growing "grey zone" threat from China, which claims the island as its own territory.
Taiwan has repeatedly complained about activities such as undersea cable cutting and sand dredging by China around the island, designed to apply pressure without direct confrontation.
It is often Taiwan's coast guard that scrambles first to respond.
The coast guard worked with an interior ministry rescue helicopter and an army medevac helicopter to board and retake control of the boat and evacuate casualties.
A navy anti-submarine helicopter flew over the scene as the drill ended, accompanied by the medevac and rescue helicopters — the first time they have flown together in such a scenario, the coast guard said.
"Taiwan has been facing constant grey-zone intrusions from China, but our coast guard colleagues have always been on the front line to enforce the law and protect the lives and safety of the people of Taiwan," Lai told the audience for the drills, which included the top US diplomat in Kaohsiung, Neil Gibson.
"The government will continue to consolidate the strength of all departments and enhance the resilience of society as a whole to defend national security and safeguard Taiwan's democracy and freedom," Lai said.
Sophisticated ships at play
Taiwan's coast guard, which would be pressed into military service in the event of war with China, is also routinely deployed to shadow Chinese ships during Beijing's war games around the island.
The coast guard, like the navy, is currently undergoing an expansion and modernisation programme.
Its new Anping-class corvettes, which began being commissioned in 2020, are based on the navy's Tuo Chiang-class warships. These are state-of-the-art, highly manoeuvrable stealth vessels designed to engage larger warships while operating near Taiwan's shores.
The Anping-class ships — one of which took part in the drill — are equipped with space for launchers for the Taiwan-made Hsiung Feng anti-ship and sea-to-land missiles, as well as additional rescue equipment.
Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, asserting that only the island's people can decide their future.
