Overview

• Taiwan’s Presidential Office on Sept. 3 said China is breaching international law and urged an immediate halt to drilling and platforms in waters Taiwan claims.
• The Sept. 2 Jamestown report counted seven rig structures, three floating production storage and offloading vessels, and two semi-submersible platforms near Pratas.
• One semi-submersible rig was reported moved deeper into Taiwan’s claimed EEZ in July, to roughly 48 km from Pratas’ restricted waters.
• The report says several installations have been present since at least May 2020 and characterizes their use as part of China’s grey‑zone tactics with potential dual‑use roles.
• Beijing rejects objections as activity in undisputed Chinese waters, while Taiwan’s non‑party status to UNCLOS and limited enforcement and monitoring constrain its options, as similar protests from Japan over 21 East China Sea rigs highlight a wider pattern.