Taiwan says it drove away 16 Chinese vessels in coordinated ‘maritime harassment’

TAIPEI, Oct 19 — Taiwan said today it had driven away 16 Chinese coast guard, research and fishing vessels involved in simultaneous “maritime harassment” operations. An “unusually large” number of Chinese vessels took part in the coordinated operations around Taiwan’s main island and Pratas, a disputed island to the southwest, the Taiwanese coast guard said in a statement. The Chinese vessels, including four fishing boats, carried out “simultaneous operations at multiple locations and engaged in hybrid warfare,” the statement said. The locations were off Taiwan’s eastern, southern and southwestern coastlines, and around Pratas. Some of the Chinese vessels entered Taiwan’s…