China’s Coast Guard is harassing shipping with its latest patrol off Taiwan’s east coast and trying to exert a fictional jurisdiction, Taiwan’s Coast Guard said, adding that it had sent its own ships to keep watch, Reuters reported from Taipei.
China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up activity off the island’s east coast since June with regular coast guard patrols. Taiwanese officials, who reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, say they believe China is practicing for a potential maritime blockade using overlapping military, paramilitary and civilian assets. Taipei regards the area off its east coast as critical to wartime supply routes from allies in the event of a blockade or conflict.
Responding late Saturday to China’s announcement of its latest east coast patrol, Taiwan’s Coast Guard said two Chinese ships were involved and that it had sent its own forces to monitor. Chinese state media showed video of one of its ships broadcasting a radio message that it was carrying out law enforcement and offering help if needed, shown against footage of an unidentified fishing trawler.
Taiwan’s Coast Guard called the radio communications a clear expansion of power that violates international law. China also sent another coast guard ship close to the Taiwan controlled Pratas Islands at the top of the South China Sea on Saturday, Taiwan said, adding that it has expelled Chinese coast guard vessels from Pratas waters 13 times so far this year.