TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Four Chinese coast guard vessels entered Taiwan's restricted waters twice around Kinmen on Sunday.

At 8:50 a.m., the Chinese ships navigated from the southwest of Fujian's Damaoshan into Kinmen's restricted waters, per the Coast Guard. They switched off their Automatic Identification System and proceeded eastward. 

The Coast Guard responded by deploying patrol boats. The Chinese vessels left restricted waters at 11 a.m. 

The same four ships entered Kinmen waters again at 3 p.m., prompting Taiwan’s pre-positioned patrol boats to approach and issue radio warnings. Under escort and monitoring by Taiwan’s patrol craft, the Chinese ships exited the restricted waters at 5:10 p.m.

The Coast Guard said this marks the first time in two years that the Chinese coast guard has conducted gray-zone activities on a Sunday. The Coast Guard noted that the circumstances differed from previous incidents. The agency urged China to cease such actions.