China patrols east of Taiwan over Japan-Philippines talks
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- China Coast Guard announced law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan on Monday, led by a formation of vessels headed by the Daishan and conducted "in accordance with the law"
- CCG spokesman Jiang Lue called the patrols "a necessary action taken in response to Japan and the Philippines' unilateral announcement of the launch of maritime boundary delimitation negotiations"
- Jiang said the Japan-Philippines talks "seriously infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests" in waters east of China's Taiwan island
- The China Coast Guard urged both Japan and the Philippines to "immediately cease all illegal actions that infringe upon China's sovereignty and rights"
- Jiang said the CCG will "continue to strengthen its control and management of the relevant waters" and take concrete measures to "firmly safeguard" China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights
- The patrols underscore Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China "to be reunited by force if necessary"
Why it matters: By deploying the Daishan-led formation east of Taiwan rather than issuing a diplomatic note, China has turned a Japan-Philippines bilateral negotiation into a physical sovereignty contest at sea. The CCG's pledge to "strengthen control" of those waters means Tokyo and Manila now face a Chinese coastguard presence whenever they try to delimit their own maritime boundary, raising the cost of any future agreement in the area.
