Retired Defence Member

Too suspicious to ignore! @NavalWarCollege/@ChinaMaritime Note 26—“Easy Infiltration: The Rise of PRC Small Boat Landings on Taiwan” digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cm… From CMSI Director CAPT @ChrisHSharman, @USNavy (Ret.)— #China-#Taiwan Watchers: Could seemingly isolated small-boat landings on Taiwan be something more than cases of illegal entry? Beginning in 2021, at least 8 PRC nationals have been arrested after making small-boat crossings of the Taiwan Strait & landing on Taiwan. Each reported landing occurred at a sensitive location. 5/8 occurred on known invasion beaches; the other 3 were at ports & river deltas believed to be of high interest to PLA war planners. In CMSI Note #26, “Easy Infiltration: The Rise of PRC Small Boat Landings on Taiwan,” CMSI’s Professor @Ian_M_Easton meticulously documents these incidents & examines their potential security implications. Professor Easton begins by exploring what PLA textbooks say about infiltrating undercover operatives into Taiwan to conduct reconnaissance & special missions, placing these activities in the context of PLA amphibious invasion planning. Professor Easton is careful to note that there is no public evidence establishing that the individuals involved were PLA operatives. There are, however, reasons to question whether these incidents are entirely unrelated or innocuous. He examines several possible explanations, including smuggling, espionage, & reconnaissance, ultimately arguing that PLA involvement cannot be ruled out. This CMSI Note also offers practical recommendations for strengthening Taiwan’s defenses against potential infiltration, including improved coastal surveillance, coast-watcher communities, & the fortification of vulnerable beaches & coastal garrisons. Richly illustrated with photographs, maps, & media accounts documenting the individual incidents, this note provides a fascinating look at an emerging & potentially consequential dimension of Taiwan’s coastal security challenges.