Mainland Chinese research ship spotted near Taiwan’s largest naval base
The Tong Ji, operated by a Shanghai university, has a range of advanced equipment and can collect data that may have military uses
A mainland Chinese research ship has sailed close to a key Taiwanese naval base, marking its third appearance near the island since May.
The Tong Ji is a 2,000-tonne scientific research vessel operated by Tongji University in Shanghai. It was spotted 28 nautical miles (52km) southwest of Liuqiu, an island also known as Lamay, on Friday morning, according to the Taiwanese authorities.
Liuqiu sits off the southwest coast of Taiwan’s main island, close to the city of Kaohsiung – home to Taiwan’s naval academy and largest naval base.
The Taiwanese coastguard said they sent ships to monitor the Tong Ji’s movements and broadcast warnings ordering it to leave. They said the vessel had sailed away to the southeast.
On Thursday night, it had been spotted about 25 nautical miles northwest of Hua islet in the central Taiwan Strait. A coastguard vessel sent to shadow the mainland ship tried to force it to change course.
Commissioned in 2025, the Tong Ji is an advanced research ship designed for a wide range of scientific and engineering operations, including surveys, environmental monitoring and offshore engineering work, according to its operators.
In particular, the vessel can deploy remotely operated underwater and surface vessels and is equipped with a range of acoustic equipment, including a variety of sonar systems.