The Coast Guard Administration of the Ocean Affairs Council (CGA) is charged with maintaining law and order, protecting the resources of the territorial waters of the Republic of China (Taiwan), which surrounds Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu Islands, Green Island, Orchid Island, Pratas Island (Tungsha/Dongsha), and Nansha Islands as well as providing a first line of defense along coastal areas against smugglers and illegal immigrants. The CGA is considered a civilian law enforcement agency under the administration of the Ocean Affairs Council of the Executive Yuan, though during emergencies it may be incorporated as part of the Republic of China Armed Forces.^[4]

The Coast Guard Administration is mainly composed of former police officers, military personnel, and civilian civil servants.

The Coast Guard Administration is headed by one minister and three deputy ministers. The CGA includes eight departments, one office and five task forces, as well as a Maritime Patrol Directorate General and a Coastal Patrol Directorate General. Its jurisdiction covers the waters surrounding Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, and the main island of Taiwan to ensure proper protection of the 1,819.8 kilometers coastline and 540,000 square kilometers of "Blue Territory," which is 15 times larger than the island of Taiwan.^[5]

Article two of the Coast Guard Law splits the responsibilities of the CGA into three zones, their core area (Shoreline to the end of the Exclusive Economic Zone), Waters temporarily or tentatively within the area of law enforcement, and International waters fisheries patrol.^[9]

The CGA was established on 1 February 2000,^[10] combining the Coast Guard Command (formerly under the Ministry of Defense), the Marine Police Bureau (formerly under the National Police Administration, Ministry of Interior), and several cutters from the Taiwan Directorate General of Customs, Ministry of Finance. The CGA formally unifies coastal and maritime law enforcement agencies.^[11]

It has seen a great deal of action for a young agency, participating in numerous search and rescue and anti-smuggling operations. The Coast Guard Administration was also recently involved in escorting Taiwanese fishing boats into waters disputed with Japan claimed by both sides as part of their exclusive economic zones.^[6]

In the late 2010s, China escalated to grey-zone actions against Taiwan in an attempt to achieve unification with the self-governing island.^[12] The Coast Guard Administration had to expand rapidly to meet the rising grey-zone challenge.^[13] China's grey-zone operations against Taiwan in the maritime domain are meant to establish presence while maintaining plausible deniability.^[14]

In May 2019 the CGA detained two Chinese fishing vessels for illegally fishing inside Taiwan's territorial waters. One vessel was 0.4 nautical miles off Taiwanese shores while the other was 2.1 nautical miles offshore.^[15]

In May 2019 the CGA rescued six fishermen aboard a burning boat nineteen miles offshore.^[16] Five fisherman were picked up by cutter while the most seriously injured was airlifted to hospital by helicopter. All fishermen survived the ordeal although three required hospitalization.^[17]

On March 1, 2020, three coast guard cutters clearing illegal fishing nets off Little Kinmen island were attacked by Chinese fishing boats which had to be repelled with warning shots from a shotgun.^[18]

On March 16, 2020, the patrol boats CP-1022 and CP-2006 of the 9th Offshore Flotilla based on Kinmen were attacked by ten Chinese speedboats. They had been assisting a Kinmen County Government Fisheries Research Institute patrol boat in clearing fishing nets illegally left in Taiwanese waters by Chinese fishermen when they came under attack from the men in speedboats throwing rocks and bottles. During the incident CP-1022 was rammed at speed and lost the function of two of their three engines and its hull was damaged.^[18] The CGA responded to the attack using less lethal means including stun grenades and bean bag rounds which caused the attacking boats to retreat.^[19]

In July 2020 the CGA arrested all 18 crew members of a Chinese fishing vessel caught fishing illegally in Taiwanese waters. The interdiction followed an increase in illegal fishing in Taiwanese waters by Chinese fishing vessels.^[20]

Between January and July 2020 the CGA chased 2,988 Chinese sand dredging vessels out of Taiwanese waters. In July 2020 the CGA seized a dredging vessel and arrested its eight crew as a warning to the rest.^[21]

In August 2020 the CGA detained a small Chinese oil tanker which had illegally entered Taiwan's waters. The oil tanker was discovered during enhanced COVID-19 pandemic biosecurity patrols.^[22]

In May 2021 the CGA detained a Chinese offshore supply vessel and its 12 crew. The vessel was caught trespassing in Taiwanese waters near Penghu. It is believed that the supply ship was being used to deliver food and other supplies to offshore fishing fleets.^[23]

In May 2022 an Anping-class patrol ship launched a Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missile for the first time in a joint exercise with the Navy.^[24]

In 2021 the CGA had more than 200 vessels.^[13]

In 2021 President Tsai Ing-wen ordered the name “Taiwan” to be prominently displayed on all vessels to avoid confusion with the People's Republic of China Coast Guard which is engaged in a grey-zone campaign against Taiwan and other neighboring countries.^[13]

Coast Guard Law Enforcement

Coast Guard Navigation and Engineering Officers

The navigation and engineering officers of the Taiwan coast guard cutters are not sworn law-enforcement officers. They wear the following rank insigna.

• China Coast Guard
• National Police Agency (Republic of China)
• Maritime industries of Taiwan