Taiwan accuses China's coast guard of harassing shipping off its east coast
Taipei sent ships to watch two Chinese coast guard vessels it says are asserting jurisdiction over waters east of the island that China has no claim to.
Taiwan's Coast Guard has accused China's Coast Guard of harassing shipping during its latest patrol off Taiwan's east coast. It said Beijing was trying to exert what it called a fictional jurisdiction over waters Taipei sees as a wartime supply route. The Straits Times, The Hindu and The Japan Times reported the comments, and The Straits Times credited its report to Reuters.
China announced the patrol, and Taiwan's Coast Guard responded late on Saturday, October 31. It said two Chinese ships were involved and it had sent its own forces to monitor them.
Chinese state media aired video of one of the ships broadcasting a radio message. The message said the ship was carrying out law enforcement and offered help if anyone needed it. The broadcast did not say who the message was aimed at, but the footage showed an unidentified fishing trawler, The Hindu and The Straits Times reported.
Taiwan's Coast Guard said China's "attempts to harass ships at sea through radio communications are a clear expansion of power that violate international law, undermine regional peace and stability, and deviate from reality".
"Our country holds sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zone east of Taiwan, and China has absolutely no jurisdiction over any of Taiwan's waters," it said.
China views Taiwan as its own territory and has run regular coast guard patrols off the island's east coast since June. Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. Officials in Taipei say they believe China is practising for a possible maritime blockade using a mix of military, paramilitary and civilian assets. Taipei regards the waters off its east coast as critical to supply routes from allies if a blockade or conflict breaks out.
Taiwan's Coast Guard said separately that China sent another coast guard ship close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands on the same day. The islands sit at the top of the South China Sea, roughly between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong, and more than 400 kilometres from Taiwan. They have no permanent civilian population.
The Coast Guard said Taiwan had "expelled" Chinese Coast Guard vessels from Pratas waters 13 times so far this year.
Sources: The Japan Times, Taiwan says China harassing shipping with east coast patrol; The Hindu, Taiwan says China harassing shipping with east coast patrol; The Straits Times, Taiwan says China harassing shipping with east coast patrol.
