Concerns have been raised that Chinese-made Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) installed on domestic vessels in Taiwan could trigger a national security crisis. AIS is an automatic tracking system that broadcasts a ship's location, speed, and course to the outside.
According to Taiwan media including Liberty Times on the 6th, the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (CGA) announced that on the 4th, it received a report of a Chinese cargo ship near the median line of the Taiwan Strait and close to Penghu main island, a military strategic point under Taiwan's jurisdiction, approximately 0.366 nautical miles (about 677.8 meters) away, and dispatched an emergency response.
However, the CGA explained that instead of a Chinese cargo ship, they found a Taiwanese yacht equipped with a Chinese-made AIS in the emergency response area, and it was understood that the installation of Chinese AIS caused identification problems.
Furthermore, the CGA reported that the same situation of Taiwanese fishing vessels using Chinese-made AIS was detected in the waters around four southern islands of the Penghu archipelago.
An official explained that there is a problem in that there are no regulations mandating the installation of MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity), which includes the vessel's name, nationality, and owner, for small vessels or vessels not exceeding 12 meters in length.
As a result, it was pointed out that many Taiwanese fishing vessels and yachts have recently installed relatively inexpensive Chinese-made AIS.
The official stated that due to insufficient updates of MMSI caused by the installation of these Chinese AIS devices, ambiguity in identification arises, raising concerns that national security could be compromised.
In this regard, the Fisheries Agency provides subsidies of up to 20,000 New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 840,000 KRW) for fishing vessels installing AIS, but it is stipulated that the production origin must not be China.
Moreover, it was pointed out that owners of fishing vessels who purchase used AIS must change their MMSI, and failure to comply may result in penalties under relevant laws.
Earlier, in March, the Taiwan CGA requested the departure of a Chinese "ghost ship" without a vessel name that entered the waters near Penghu Island through warning broadcasts, and forcibly expelled vessels that did not comply with the orders outside Taiwan waters using water cannons.
The CGA stated that Chinese fishing vessels are using strong northeast monsoon winds to cross the median line and engage in illegal fishing in Taiwan's fishing grounds.
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