Premier Su Tseng-chang says that the addition of the painted word “Taiwan” on the sides of Taiwan’s coast guard ships is meant to clarify the ships’ origin. Su says the move is not meant to be provocative.
Su was responding to discussion of President Tsai Ing-wen’s recent request to the coast guard to paint the word “Taiwan” on its vessels in addition to the words “R.O.C. Coast Guard” to make it clear which country the ships represent.
Su says the move is first and foremost designed to protect the nation and its people. He says it will increase people’s recognition of the ships when they carry out maritime patrols in the midst of regional instability caused by Beijing’s new China Coast Guard Law. This law allows China’s coast guard to use military force against any foreign ships found to infringe on China’s claims to certain areas of the Indo-Pacific region.