China Conducts Patrol Near Taiwan After Japan, Philippines Announce Maritime Border Talks

China’s Coast Guard said on Monday that it carried out a “law enforcement” patrol in waters east of Taiwan, describing the move as a response to plans by Japan and the Philippines to begin maritime boundary delimitation talks in an area claimed by Beijing.

The patrol comes days after Japan and the Philippines announced they would launch formal negotiations to delimit the maritime boundary of their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and continental shelves in accordance with international law.

Although neither country specified the exact area under discussion, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the proposed talks involve waters east of Taiwan — a region Beijing considers part of its territory. China subsequently condemned the planned negotiations as “completely illegal, null and void.”

In a statement, the China Coast Guard said a flotilla had conducted patrol operations east of Taiwan in accordance with Chinese law, though it did not disclose the precise location.

“This is a necessary action taken in response to Japan and the Philippines unilaterally announcing the initiation of maritime boundary delimitation negotiations in the waters east of China’s Taiwan island,” the statement said.

The coast guard also urged Tokyo and Manila to halt what it described as actions infringing upon China’s sovereign rights and interests.

Taiwan swiftly rejected Beijing’s position. Late on Sunday, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said China had “no right to interfere” with Taiwan’s territorial sovereignty or its maritime rights.

The latest development adds to growing tensions in the region, where Taiwan has reported near-daily activity by Chinese military aircraft, warships and coast guard vessels around the island.

Last month, a Chinese coast guard ship approached waters near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the northern South China Sea before withdrawing following a standoff with Taiwan’s coast guard.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and asserts sovereignty over most of the South China Sea through its controversial “nine-dash line” claim. The claim overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of several countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

Taiwan’s government continues to reject Beijing’s territorial claims, maintaining that only the island’s democratically elected authorities can determine its future and maritime rights.