Taiwan: Chinese ships entered waters of Spratly island

TAIPEI — Taiwan said Chinese ships entered “prohibited” waters off a disputed island in the South China Sea (SCS) for the first time on Thursday, condemning escalating “harassment” by Beijing. The two Chinese vessels “openly intruded” into the waters around the Taipei-controlled Taiping Island and stayed for 15 minutes before the Taiwanese coast guard expelled them, the force said in a statement. The island, also known as Itu Aba, is the largest in the S