Taiwan's coast guard drove off four Chinese coast guard ships near Kinmen, the third such intrusion in days, in a sign that pressure on the frontline islands is rising.

• Four Chinese coast guard vessels gathered south of Kinmen and crossed into restricted waters before being escorted out by midday.
• Taiwan's coast guard shadowed each ship one-on-one and warned them off in Chinese and English.
• The Chinese ships used the Mid-Autumn Festival to broadcast "one family" unification messages, which Taiwan called a cover for harassment dressed up as law enforcement.
• The intrusion came as the first strong northeast winds of the season hit, making rough seas even more dangerous for both sides.

Outlook: These incursions have shifted from occasional to near-constant, and Taiwan says it will keep patrolling without backing down or provoking.