China puts buoys at Scarborough, patrols east of Taiwan
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- Philippines announced the detection of two large buoys with antennae and a floating platform at Scarborough Shoal in late May/early June, presumably placed by China.
- China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued statements on June 5 and June 9 asserting a ‘scientific research’ right over Scarborough Shoal and rejecting Philippine accusations, without confirming responsibility for the objects.
- Japan and Philippines agreed on May 28 to hold bilateral talks to delineate their EEZs, explicitly excluding Taiwan, prompting Chinese objections.
- China dispatched Coast Guard and other government vessels to patrol waters east of Taiwan on June 1 and June 8, describing the Japan‑Philippines EEZ negotiations as ‘illegal and invalid’.
- Taiwan’s Coast Guard responded by deploying its own vessels and radio‑contacting the Chinese ships to inquire about commercial traffic, asserting its maritime rights.
- Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger Japanese collective self‑defense, a statement that intensified Beijing’s reaction to the Japan‑Philippines security cooperation.
Why it matters: China’s new buoys and Coast Guard patrols physically tighten its grip on Scarborough Shoal and extend its claim east of Taiwan, while the Philippines and Taiwan see their maritime rights eroded and Japan‑Philippines security ties face direct Chinese pushback in the short term.
