TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ocean Affairs Council on Wednesday announced plans to build 40 additional vessels to counter Chinese gray zone tactics near Taiwan’s maritime borders.

The OAC is expected to receive NT$29.5 billion from a proposed Cabinet budget of NT$550 billion, CNA reported.

During a Cabinet briefing, OAC Deputy Minister and Coast Guard Administration Director-General Chang Chung-lung (張忠龍) said the council would spend NT$8.7 billion to build 12 2,000-tonne vessels, 14 300-tonne vessels, and 14 100-tonne patrol boats. The larger ships would be wind and wave-resistant and have collision durability to counter Chinese Coast Guard and government vessels in Taiwan’s waters.

A portion of the funds will go toward cybersecurity and communication resilience by incorporating AI-assisted decision-making, replacing outdated surveillance systems, and addressing current shortcomings in aerial and nighttime monitoring.

The rest of the budget will be spent on upgrading base facilities and acquiring domestically-built drones to expand surveillance and law enforcement capabilities.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said on Monday that the government would continue advancing the next phase of coast guard shipbuilding to enhance fleet capabilities and bolster maritime defenses. 

China’s increasing gray zone activities have prompted Taiwan’s coast guard to pursue deeper cooperation with its Philippine counterpart, conducting joint patrols and holding high-level defense talks.