Taiwan Coast Guard Expels Four Chinese Ships
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- Taiwan Coast Guard expelled four Chinese government ships from restricted waters 30 nautical miles southwest of Taiwan’s southern tip on June 7 after deploying seven of its own vessels to warn them away.
- Chinese state media said the vessels were conducting a “special maritime traffic law enforcement operation” in response to a May announcement by Japan and the Philippines on formal maritime boundary talks.
- Chinese officer recorded a warning claiming the waters were under Chinese jurisdiction and instructed the Taiwanese ships not to interfere with its official duties.
- Taiwanese coast guard officer countered that China has no sovereign rights in the waters east of Taiwan and warned that conflict would bring global sanctions, stressing maritime stability for development.
- China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to inquiries outside of office hours.
- Joseph Wu called China a “big fat bully” on platform X, reflecting Taiwan’s official stance.
Why it matters: Taiwan’s successful expulsion reinforces its claim to the waters east of the island, denying China a foothold and demonstrating that Beijing’s enforcement actions can be rebuffed; the incident also shows how Japan‑Philippines maritime talks are provoking Chinese assertiveness, raising the stakes for regional stability.
