"China conducts oil and gas exploration in Taiwan's EEZ"

China has conducted oil and gas exploration within Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), an action analysts suggest aligns with Beijing’s broader efforts to assert control over disputed areas, potentially laying the groundwork for future military action against Taiwan.

Between July and August, at least 12 vessels and permanent structures linked to oil and gas extraction were identified in Taiwan’s EEZ, including one within 50 kilometers of the restricted waters near the Taiwan-administered Pratas Islands. Several steel supports for fixed offshore drilling platforms, known as jackets, were also observed. This activity had not been reported before.

Experts indicate that these moves follow Beijing’s gradual expansionist tactics in contested regions. China maintains its claim over nearly the entire South China Sea, despite a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal rejecting its legal basis. It also views Taiwan as part of its territory and has intensified its strategy of incremental territorial encroachment, reducing the space Taiwan can effectively manage.

Ray Powell, head of SeaLight, a maritime monitoring initiative at Stanford University, noted that China often uses commercial operations to advance its strategic interests.

The presence of Chinese vessels and structures in the EEZ was first detailed in a report released by the U.S.-based Jamestown Foundation. According to the research, the assets belong to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), a state-owned enterprise.

So far, Taiwan’s government has not publicly addressed the incursions, even though it has previously asserted its rights in other parts of its EEZ. Analysts have expressed concern over this silence, warning that inaction could legitimize further territorial erosion.

The vessels and platforms involved are substantial, with at least one ship exceeding 240 meters in length and having deck space comparable to 1.5 football fields. Two of Asia’s largest wellhead platforms were also identified. Some of these structures have reportedly been in place for over five years, with one approaching within a kilometer of the Pratas Islands’ restricted waters earlier this year. CuriosityNews confirmed the locations of most assets using publicly available maritime data.

Taiwan faces significant hurdles in contesting these operations. Its ambiguous political status excludes it from international maritime agreements, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), limiting its legal recourse. Domestic regulations on EEZ enforcement remain unclear, and Taiwan currently lacks the naval resources to counter such activities effectively.

Bonnie Glaser, an expert with the German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific program, suggested that Taiwan may have lacked the means to respond, explaining its muted reaction.

“It’s possible they underestimated the scale of these operations,” she said.

CNOOC is a major global player in oil and gas exploration, frequently partnering with foreign firms on energy projects.