China Deploys Record Number of Ships Around Taiwan, Escalating Pressure

China deployed a record 244 coast guard, scientific research, and other ships in Taiwan's waters in July, averaging nearly eight vessels daily, according to Taiwan's coast guard. This marks a significant increase from previous months and is seen as part of Beijing's strategy to map the region for submarine warfare and assert its territorial claims over the island democracy. Taiwan's coast guard has warned of an increasingly severe situation.