Taipei, Aug. 27 -- China has sharply increased the presence of coast guard, research and other civilian vessels around Taiwan, with the scale of activity reaching levels described as unprecedented by maritime security experts.

According to data cited by Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA), 244 Chinese vessels were detected in waters around Taiwan last month, compared with 55 in June and 30 in May. The Taipei Times reported that the figure represents an average of nearly eight Chinese vessels operating in the area every day.

Around 60 per cent of the vessels detected last month were Chinese coast guard ships, while the figures did not include Chinese naval vessels, which are regularly deployed around Taiwan. The Taipei Times noted ...