Taiwan Strait Research Articles

The China Coastal Front from Himawari-8 AHI SST Data—Part 2: South China Sea

High-resolution (2 km) high-frequency (hourly) SST data from 2015 to 2021 provided by the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) onboard the Japanese Himawari-8 geostationary satellite were used to study spatial and temporal variability of the China Coastal Front (CCF) in the South China Sea. The SST data were processed with the Belkin and O’Reilly (2009) algorithm to generate monthly maps of the CCF’s intensity (defined as SST gradient magnitude GM) and frontal frequency (FF). The horizontal structure of the CCF was investigated from cross-frontal distributions of SST along 11 fixed lines that allowed us to determine inshore and offshore boundaries of the CCF and calculate the CCF’s strength (defined as total cross-frontal step of SST). Combined with the results of Part 1 of this study, where the CCF was documented in the East China Sea, the new results reported in this paper allowed the CCF to be traced from the Yangtze Bank to Hainan Island. The CCF is continuous in winter, when its intensity peaks at 0.15 °C/km (based on monthly data). In summer, when the Guangdong Coastal Current reverses and flows eastward, the CCF’s intensity is reduced to 0.05 °C/km or less, especially off western Guangdong, where the CCF vanishes almost completely. Owing to its breadth (50–100 km, up to 200 km in the Taiwan Strait), the CCF is a very strong front, especially in winter, when the total SST step across the CCF peaks at 9 °C in the Taiwan Strait. The CCF’s strength decreases westward to 6 °C off eastern Guangdong, 5 °C off western Guangdong, and 2 °C off Hainan Island, all in mid-winter.

Beyond territorial defense…? The U.S.-Japan and U.S.-ROK alliances and a ‘Taiwan Strait contingency’

Amid United States-led efforts to internationalize and multilateralize support for Taiwan and cross-Strait deterrence in response to mounting coercive pressure from China, the April 2021 and May 2021 U.S.-Japan and U.S.-South Korea summit statements’ unprecedented references to ‘peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait’ triggered global headlines. In the 3 years since, U.S. expectations for treaty allies to do and say more in support of Taiwan and cross-Strait deterrence have surged. But what of the perspectives and policies of key front-line treaty allies Japan and Korea, each host to tens of thousands of forward-­deployed U.S. forces? This study comparatively analyzes the historical and contemporary evolution of Japanese and Korean positions and policies vis-à-vis Taiwan and the role their leaders see for their country and respective alliance with the U.S. in the event of a ‘regional contingency’: a conflict not involving—at least initially—armed attacks on ally-administered territory. After highlighting the similarities between Seoul’s and Tokyo’s intentionally ambiguous positions on Taiwan’s status, it explores important differences in each allies’ willingness to deepen practical engagement with Taiwan, to expand their respective alliance’s focus beyond territorial defense, and to stretch the bounds of the ally’s own potential contributions in a regional contingency.

Cosmopolitan Mobiles: Mobilizing Artists and Other Floating Things around the Matsu Islands

Abstract: This essay examines the multiple relations of mobile, mediating entities that cross politically disputed waters to be transformed and rendered visible on the shores of the Matsu archipelago in the Taiwan Strait. Drawing on an ethnographic account of the Matsu Biennial in 2022, this essay seeks to unmoor our understandings of archipelagos and site-specific art from the sitedness of the island itself to the floating trajectories and mobilities that operate in between. Moreover, it explores the structures of contradiction that permit an artistic poiesis and coexistence of paradoxical realities via interlapping cases of disenchanted ghosts, planktonic suspensions, temporary sustainability, and so on and, ultimately, suggests that the facticity of "bricolage" might offer a path to embracing modes of mobile cosmopolitanisms considered archipelagically through embracing mobiles already cosmopolitan.

A Comparative Study on the Relative and Inheritance Laws between the Two Sides of the Taiwan Strait

A Comparative Study on the Relative and Inheritance Laws between the Two Sides of the Taiwan Strait

Analysis of wave characteristics near the pilot station

As one of the primary services ports provide, pilotage services aim to ensure the safe passage of vessels when entering and leaving the port. This study uses Taichung Port, located in the central part of the Taiwan Strait, as an example to analyze the impact of monsoon characteristics on wave conditions at pilot boarding points and to highlight their crucial role in safeguarding pilot boarding safety. By analyzing data from the ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) station north of the port’s northern breakwater and the Taichung buoy located southwest of the port, compare wave height distributions at the boarding point. The research addresses the impact of current and planned expansions, including constructing a new LNG receiving terminal with extended breakwaters, on wave dynamics and pilot operations. The study demonstrates that data from multiple sources—such as ADCP and buoy measurements—helps mitigate issues caused by missing data from specific stations. The analysis shows that numerical values differ slightly, while wave height trends at the boarding point are similar under current and expanded port conditions. The study concludes that the proposed expansion will likely affect wave diffraction patterns but will enhance the predictability and safety of boarding operations by reducing uncertainties associated with single measurement stations. Overall, the results of this study can enhance the understanding of marine meteorological information, improve the safety of pilot boarding operations, and thereby increase the efficiency and safety of port operations.

Spatiotemporal distribution and mechanism of Mesozoic magmatism in the Taiwan Strait and its adjacent areas: insights from seismic, geochemical, and geochronological data

ABSTRACT This paper presents a complete map of the Mesozoic volcanic-plutonic complexes in the Taiwan Strait and its adjacent areas in terms of seismic profiles, ages, geochemistry, isotopic systematics, and published data. Two periods of igneous activity in the Taiwan Strait can be distinguished by seismic profiles: Jurassic (200.4–148.2 Ma); and Latest Jurassic/Cretaceous to Maastrichtian (144–66 Ma), of which the Cretaceous is the best preserved and could possibly be the most widespread. Mesozoic magmatic activity with the NE-striking distribution was migrating southeastward (oceanward). LA-MC-ICPMS zircon U – Pb dating yields the age data of 109.5 ± 0.4 Ma for PTDH1 granodiorite and 92.6 ± 0.4 Ma for PTDH4 rhyolite in the Taiwan Strait, respectively. The 581.66-m-thick Upper Jurassic volcanic rocks of the Chuan2 well are the thickest Mesozoic igneous rocks in the Taiwan Strait. The petrogenetic discrimination diagram of the Cretaceous volcanic-plutonic complexes along the coast of South China and the Taiwan Strait generally is belonging to volcanic arc or intraplate type calc-alkaline rock series. The high potassium calc-alkaline rock series of the Cretaceous volcanic-plutonic complexes that is most widely distributed in the coastal areas of South China and the Taiwan Strait. They are controlled by the subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific domain.

Statistical Characteristics of Remote Sensing Extreme Temperature Anomaly Events in the Taiwan Strait

Statistical Characteristics of Remote Sensing Extreme Temperature Anomaly Events in the Taiwan Strait

The Second Session of the 14th National People's Congress: Outcomes of China's Legislative Development in 2023

The regular (second) session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), held in March 2024, summarized the key outcomes of China's socio-economic and legislative development in the second year following the 20th CPC National Congress (October 2022). According to established tradition, the third plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC should have been held on the eve of the parliamentary session, with its decisions typically focusing on the country's economic development. In turn, the decisions of the NPC are based on the work of the plenum, often taking the form of laws. However, in 2024, although the plenum did not take place, the NPC session proceeded as scheduled, with no changes to its working agenda. In the report of the State Council’s Premier, it was noted that China's GDP growth reached 5.2 %, one of the highest figures among both developing and developed countries. In the legislative sphere, in 2023, the Chinese parliament, represented by the Standing Committee of the NPC, passed a number of important laws for the country's legal system, and several existing laws were amended. Of particular note are the Law on Foreign Relations, which outlines the key principles of China's foreign policy, and the Law on the Immunity of Foreign States, which replaced the previously existing principle of "absolute immunity" with "limited immunity." In the fight against corruption, significant changes were made through the 12th amendments to the Criminal Law of the PRC. Additionally, legislative decisions focused on developing a mechanism to counter growing challenges and threats to Chinese statehood, finding adequate responses to sanction policies, implementing measures to create a stable financial and banking system, and strengthening the military amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

Stock market effects of military conflicts on defence industry

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the short-term market reaction for the world’s 100 largest listed defence firms at and around the three recent largest threats to the global economy – Ukraine–Russia war, Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis and the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.Design/methodology/approachThe author examine the impact of the three recent largest threats to the global economy in the largest listed defence firms using an event study methodology.FindingsThe results show a positive and statistically significant short-term reaction around the three geopolitical threats. The results also reveal the existence of higher abnormal returns for defence firms with greater weight of defence sales, in line with the captured regulator theory and for firms with higher research and development and capital expenditure intensity.Originality/valueThe effect of the war on stock markets has been relatively little examined in the financial theory. This study intends to fill this gap in the literature through the analysis of the three recent largest threats to the global economy.

Assessing Japan’s Taiwan Policy: Systemic Clarity, Political Survival and Bureaucratic Prudence

ABSTRACT What are the patterns of Japan’s foreign policy behavior toward Taiwan in the post-Cold War era? It is generally taken for granted that the origin of Japan’s foreign policy to Taiwan has been derived from a unitary strategic calculation related to East Asian international politics and its maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region. This conventional interpretation is insufficient. While external pressure and states’ relative material capabilities within the structure of the international system are crucial in explaining Japan’s policy toward Taiwan, interpretations based solely on the system level of analysis fail to provide a persuasive explanation of Japan’s foreign policy behavior. By conducting three case studies in 2006, 2019 and 2021 through the theoretical lens of neoclassical realism and empirical investigation based on primary and secondary Japanese-language sources, this article argues that Japan’s Taiwan policy has been shaped by the combination of three factors: the degree of systemic clarity at the international level, the Japanese prime minister’s political survival and bureaucratic prudence over the Taiwan issue at the domestic level. Since 2021, Japan has adopted a subtle approach to Taiwan, driven more by a defensive and precautionary response to the heightened sense of crisis across the Taiwan Strait.

Prospects for Military Conflict on the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula and Allied Responses

Prospects for Military Conflict on the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula and Allied Responses

Seasonal dynamics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in microplankton from Kaohsiung Harbor (Taiwan Strait, northeastern South China Sea)

The impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the marine food web is crucially understudied in the primary trophic system. We evaluated the seasonal dynamics of PAHs in microplankton in a polluted environment (Taiwan), northeastern South China Sea. Replicate size-fractionated microplankton (55–1000 μm) were freeze-dried, and PAHs were extracted with a 1:1 v/v ratio of acetone: n-hexane, then analyzed using GC–MS. Total PAHs ranged between 68 and 2548 ng/g dw in microplankton, greatest during spring (130–2548 ng/g), followed by autumn (135–772 ng/g) and summer (44–423 ng/g). Spatial distribution varied through seasons but was higher in the southern part (S6 > S4 > S5 > S2 > S3 > S1 > S7), dominated by higher-ring PAHs from mixed pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. PAHs are significantly correlated with environmental factors, especially in colder seasons and lower salinity areas. Suspended matter and plankton influenced PAH transport and partitioning seasonally. Plankton's PAHs seasonal changes and environmental influences are revealed in an anthropic environment.

Tidal and residual currents in the inner shelf of East China Sea detected from underway ADCP observations

Characterizing the spatial variability of net flow transport in a tide-dominated area like the East China Sea (ECS) is key to understanding the material and heat budget as well as their impacts on local ecosystem. However, the residual circulation in the ECS was much less confirmed by observations as it can only be derived from very sparse mooring data. Here for the first time we obtain the spatial patterns of tidal and residual currents in the inner ECS shelf from ADCP underway measurements conducted in 12 cruises using a spatial least squares (SLS) fitting technique. The SLS method is validated with the traditional harmonic analysis using numerical simulation results and then implemented with the observational data. The tidal current is dominated by two semidiurnal components M2 and S2 in this area, with the major axis of tidal ellipse along northwest-southeast direction. The ADCP-derived tide parameters are in good agreement with those from the mooring data and barotropic tide model. The annual spatial pattern of residual circulation is characterized by a southward coastal current and a northward shelf current, which are identified as the East China Sea Coastal Current (ECSCC) from Changjiang River runoff and the Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) originated from Taiwan Strait and Kuroshio. Their magnitudes are comparable but of one order smaller than tides. The vertical structure of TWC shows a subsurface-intensified feature in line with previous mooring observations. The north limit of TWC is approximately at 31.5°N around the submerged valley, beyond which the northward TWC becomes almost invisible. By a series of virtual cruise experiments, we show that the observation data length is the most crucial factor controlling the SLS fitting accuracy, while the role of other factors like sampling frequency is secondary. With a fixed-length dataset, the degree of polynomial function used for SLS fitting must be properly determined to minimize the under-fitting and over-fitting error, and there is also a trade-off in the fitting accuracy between tidal and residual currents depending on the fitting strategy.

Floating wind-integrated PV system yield analysis considering AHSE dynamics & solar azimuth effects

Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) systems face dual challenges of structural reliability and high electricity costs in offshore deployments, hindering their widespread adoption. Integrating FPV with Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWT) offers a promising solution to these challenges. A hybrid wind-solar system is proposed, leveraging mathematical modelling and simulation, with FPV system inheriting dynamic states from FOWT and employing a shared DC bus for power generation. Key findings reveal reduced power variation as solar elevation angle increases, with photovoltaic efficiency declining near the complementary angle of PV tilt offset. The FPV system demonstrates resilience to platform movements, ensuring over 97% efficiency even under significant wave heights. Additionally, greater pitch motion enhances power complementary effects between wind and solar energy. A proposed tilt offset control strategy effectively compensates for power fluctuations, particularly at lower wind-solar azimuth angles and higher solar elevation angles. Real-world based simulation in the Taiwan Strait validates these findings, emphasizing the potential of wind-solar coupled platforms for optimizing renewable energy performance in coastal regions.

Dynamics of alongshore current in the Taiwan Strait: A perspective on the southward Kuroshio branch in winter

Dynamics of alongshore current in the Taiwan Strait: A perspective on the southward Kuroshio branch in winter

Molecular Identification of an “Abnormal Tuna” Caught in the Taiwan Strait off Southwestern Taiwan

A female tuna of odd appearance, with the size of a Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis Temminck and Schlegel, 1844), anal fin count of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus Lowe, 1839), pectoral fins of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares Bonnaterre, 1788), caught in waters west of the island of Xiaoliuqiu, Pingtung, Taiwan, received considerable media attention after its landing at Tungkang fishing port on 14 December 2020. This tuna has now been identified by molecular systematic means. Fishermen and fish merchants suggested it was a hybrid form, unique in living memory; however, it had matured ovaries and developing ova. To confirm whether this fish was a hybrid, we determined its parental species by analysing the cytochrome b gene (cyt b) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequences of the mitochondrial DNA for maternal inheritance, and the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) gene sequence from the nuclear DNA to confirm both parents’ lineages. Genomic DNA was isolated from fast-skeletal muscle, and primers were designed based on the known sequences of conserved regions among tunas. According to cyt b and COI, the mother of the peculiar tuna was a Pacific bluefin tuna (T. orientalis), and the ITS1 sequence showed that both parents were of this species. We therefore conclude that despite the mixed morphological appearance, this abnormal tuna was a Pacific bluefin tuna, not a hybrid.

Legal System Research on Humanitarian Rescue by Mainland Government Vessels Blockading in the Taiwan Strait During Wartime

This paper explores the legal system concerning humanitarian rescue by mainland government vessels blockading in the Taiwan Strait during wartime. Firstly, the concept of government vessels is defined, and their role in the humanitarian rescue system is analyzed. Subsequently, the concept of wartime maritime blockade and its conception in the Taiwan Strait are discussed. Furthermore, the feasibility of government vessels conducting humanitarian rescue in blockaded areas is analyzed from aspects such as legal basis, third-party intervention issues, and military-civil coordination. The legal nature of humanitarian rescue by government vessels and the analysis of national supervisory responsibilities are then discussed. Finally, the paper points out the deficiencies in the current legal system regarding rescue provisions, such as unclear power regulations, risks in relief channels, and risks in the choice of review agencies, and proposes improvement suggestions, including refining administrative regulations, adopting pre-review procedures, and specifying review agencies, to enhance rescue efficiency and protect the rights of distressed individuals. Through these measures, the government can better fulfill its responsibility to protect the lives of citizens and enhance the legal effectiveness of maritime rescue.

Land of the giants: Body mass estimates of Palaeoloxodon from the Pleistocene of Taiwan

The sea bottom of Taiwan Strait harbors a Late Pleistocene paleo-ecosystem significantly distinct from the present ecosystem structure in Taiwan. The assemblage constitutes fossil remains from the genus Palaeoloxodon, the largest known lineage of proboscideans to have walked on Earth. Body mass holds a pivotal role in our understanding of an organism's biology, ecology, life history, and susceptibility to extinction, and thus, is a key trait while working with extinct taxa. Here we, for the first time, assess the body mass of Palaeoloxodon specimens from Taiwan using well-established allometric scaling equations derived from both extant and extinct species. Our results indicate that Palaeoloxodon individuals from Taiwan exceed 10 tonnes in body mass with a mean body mass of 9.32 tonnes, similar in size to Palaeoloxodon antiquus across Eurasia, and an average shoulder height of 3.49 m. Additionally, our statistical pairwise analysis of body mass distribution shows that Palaeoloxodon specimens from Taiwan significantly differ from the largest species in the genus, Palaeoloxodon namadicus. We further employ equations from extant proboscideans and show notable discrepancies due to differences in body shape between extinct and extant proboscideans. Our estimated body masses offer novel insights into the paleoecology and extinction pressures of the Palaeoloxodon population during the Pleistocene of Taiwan. Further research promises to reveal the habitats capable of sustaining megafaunal populations and extinction events along the easternmost margin of Eurasia.

China’s defence semiconductor industrial base in an age of globalisation: Cross-strait dynamics and regional security implications

ABSTRACT The globalisation of semiconductor production has helped China improve its defence microelectronics capability. By analysing primary and secondary data, this paper examines semiconductor globalisation across the Taiwan Strait and shows the flow of resources from Taiwan to its Chinese counterparts linked to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). This flow of resources has improved the PLA’s capabilities, including for Trojan Horse attacks, and affected security dynamics in the Sino-US-Taiwan relationship. This paper sheds fresh light on an understudied aspect of PLA modernisation and contributes to the study of the globalisation-security nexus and pertinent policy debates.

Sea surface temperature prediction by stacked generalization ensemble of deep learning

Accurate sea surface temperature (SST) prediction is of great significance for fishery farming, marine ecological protection, and planning of maritime activities. In this paper, the stacked generalization ensemble is demonstrated for SST prediction to improve every single deep-learning model. Long-term high-resolution satellite-derived SST is used with the sub-regions of the Taiwan Strait and East China Sea taken as the study area. We select the Multilayer Perceptron, Long short-term memory (LSTM), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), CNN-LSTM as individual learners, and Convolutional LSTM as the meta-learner. The individual learners are trained and validated on the retained data subset I, while the meta-learner is trained and validated by constructing the samples with the predictions of validated individual learners on the retained data subset II. The two types of models are evaluated on the same test dataset with root-mean-square error and coefficient of efficiency as the scoring criteria. We find that the meta-model outperforms any individual model and other baselines for the one-day-/three-day-ahead forecasts in the Taiwan Strait and one-day-/three-day-/five-day-ahead predictions in the East China Sea. Furthermore, when the lead time is 1 day and 3 days, the meta-model has a better spatial distribution of prediction metrics across all grid points in the Taiwan Strait sub-area. For the East China Sea sub-region, the meta-model advantage is extended to the lead time of 5 days. Probably due to the higher quality of offshore satellite data, the prediction ability enhancement of the stacked ensemble applied in the East China Sea is better than that in the Taiwan Strait. The better-performing meta-model prediction suggests that the stacked generalization ensemble is encouraging and promising for improving the short-term prediction of the daily SST field.