The visit by Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling to Taiping Island marks the first ministerial trip to the outpost in seven years, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported. The island is part of the disputed Spratly Islands, claimed by Taiwan, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Taiwan’s coast guard said the exercises included humanitarian rescue drills, medical evacuation simulations, and pollution response operations. In one scenario, armed special forces practiced boarding a cargo vessel that had refused to respond to communications.

Authorities said the vessel was escorted to Taiping Island for inspection after it was deemed to have entered waters under Taiwan’s jurisdiction.Video released by the coast guard showed armed personnel entering a ship’s control room while instructing crew members to comply with inspection procedures.

The drills underscore Taiwan’s efforts to assert its presence in the contested maritime region, where overlapping territorial claims have heightened tensions for years.China claims most of the South China Sea and has built extensive artificial islands and military installations in the region, raising concerns among regional states and the United States.

Beijing maintains that its construction and deployments are within its sovereign rights.Taiwan also maintains control over other features in the region, including the Pratas Islands in the northern South China Sea, while Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels regularly operate near Taiwan in what Taipei describes as pressure tactics.

Taiping Island has infrastructure capable of supporting military resupply flights and a port upgraded in 2023 to accommodate larger patrol vessels, though it remains lightly defended compared to nearby Chinese-held installations.

The South China Sea remains one of the world’s most strategically important waterways, carrying trillions of dollars in annual trade and containing key fishing grounds and potential energy resources, making it a persistent flashpoint for regional and global powers.