The Government of China launched a “special maritime control operation” in waters east of Taiwan, in response to the start of negotiations between Japan and the Philippines to delimit their respective exclusive economic zones and continental shelves in that region.

The operation seeks to fully exercise Beijing's "administrative jurisdiction of maritime control" in the area, reinforce its deep-water patrol and traffic control capabilities in "key maritime areas", guarantee the safety of navigation and "safeguard national interests", reported the state agency Xinhua.

According to the official media, this is “a necessary action” in the face of the “unilateral” decision by Tokyo and Manila to launch “maritime delimitation negotiations” to the east of Taiwan, which in their opinion “seriously violates the territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests of China.”

The announcement comes after the recent visit of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Japan, where both countries agreed to begin talks to delimit their maritime borders in an area located east of the island of Taiwan.

The Chinese Coast Guard had already reported last Monday of a “law enforcement patrol” in those same waters, although in that case it was an action by that body and not, as now, a measure coordinated by the Chinese Ministry of Transportation together with other official organizations.

Last Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, had denounced that the opening of these talks represented a “serious violation” of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as other international norms and the basic principles that govern relations between States.

Taipei reaffirms its sovereignty over those waters

Regarding the beginning of this maritime control operation, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) of Taiwan stressed that Beijing “does not enjoy any sovereign rights in the waters located east of Taiwan” and that its actions violate international law.

In a statement, the Taiwanese maritime authority specified that four Chinese ships - the 'Haixun 06', the 'Haixun 08', the 'Haixun 09' and the 'Donghaijiu 113' - set sail from the port of Xiamen, in the southeastern province of Fujian, heading to the waters southwest of the island, sailing outside the line of "restricted waters" under the control of Taipei.

The CGA detailed that it deployed five of its vessels in advance and advanced a 100-ton patrol boat to the 24 nautical mile line to collaborate in surveillance.

“The Chinese official ships did not enter the restricted waters of our country at any time, and navigation in the waters near Taiwan continues normally,” the entity stressed.

In the opinion of the island organization, China took advantage of the opening of negotiations between Manila and Tokyo to “intensify its gray zone harassment” against the island and “create the false appearance that it has jurisdiction” over those waters, in an attempt to “unilaterally” modify the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

“The CGA firmly condemns this conduct and will adopt whatever measures and actions are necessary to resolutely defend national sovereignty and guarantee the safety of our waters,” he concluded.