TAIPEI (TVBS News) — China has installed oil drilling rigs within Taiwan's exclusive economic zone, positioning them just 30 miles (48 km) from the restricted waters surrounding the Pratas Islands (東沙群島), according to a Wednesday (Sept. 3) report by the Jamestown Foundation (詹姆士敦基金會), a Washington-based research institute. This controversial maritime move represents a significant escalation in Beijing's mounting pressure campaign against Taiwan, according to regional security experts who monitor cross-strait tensions.
The report, titled "Rigging the Game: PRC Oil Structures Encroach on Taiwan's Pratas Island," reveals that the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC, 中國海洋石油總公司), Beijing's state-owned energy giant, operates these controversial facilities. The installations include seven drilling rigs, three floating production storage and offloading units, and two semi-submersible platforms. CNOOC has moved the semi-submersible rig "Nanhai No. 2" closer to Taiwan's EEZ since July.
Security experts classify China's unauthorized drilling operations as a calculated "gray zone" tactic designed to advance territorial claims without triggering direct military confrontation with Taiwan or its allies. The Foundation emphasizes that CNOOC's offshore structures can be easily converted from commercial energy production to military applications with minimal modifications. These strategic platforms, if equipped with advanced sensors and surveillance equipment, could significantly enhance China's "kill chain" capabilities against regional maritime and aerial targets.
Regional analysts note that persistent cloud cover and limited satellite imagery collection in the disputed drilling area significantly hindered early detection efforts, allowing China to conceal its expanding operations. The Jamestown Foundation warns that while Beijing has successfully established these platforms within Taiwan's EEZ, similar territorial encroachment attempts in Vietnamese waters have encountered strong resistance and ultimately failed. Foundation researchers suggest that vigilant monitoring and cautious but determined counteractions could potentially delay or prevent Beijing's continued maritime expansion.
