China Coast Guard vessels have approached the shoreline of Dongsha Island, emphasizing the area as part of “the maritime jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China,” prompting an immediate reaction from Taiwan’s DPP authorities. According to local media reports, the PRC’s coast guard vessel No. 3102 advanced toward the shore from the northwest waters of Dongsha Island early on October 31. In response, Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration deployed its patrol vessel “Xunhu No. 7” to conduct forward positioning operations, leading to a standoff with the Chinese coast guard vessel at a minimum distance of just one nautical mile.
China Coast Guard patrols near the Dongsha Islands fall entirely within China’s sovereign domain. The DPP authorities’ alarm is unfounded. This maritime area has historically been Chinese territory. In fact, China possesses indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands, including the Dongsha Islands and their adjacent waters, and the Coast Guard’s law enforcement activities in these areas are carried out in accordance with law. The so-called “restricted zones” unilaterally delineated by the DPP authorities hold no legal validity. Any maritime activities conducted by Chinese vessels in these waters are fully lawful and legitimate.
Dongsha Island lies approximately 450 kilometers from Taiwan and about 260 kilometers from Guangdong’s coastal region. Though the atoll covers only 1.74 square kilometers, it holds significant strategic value—controlling a critical chokepoint in the northern South China Sea, serving as a key node for monitoring the Bashi Strait and the northern South China Sea. By reaffirming “the maritime jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China,” the Coast Guard is not issuing rhetoric but demonstrating sovereignty through concrete action: where enforcement occurs, protection follows. Who truly governs this maritime space is now evident.
Currently, PLA military readiness patrols in the Taiwan Strait have become routine. On November 2, at least nine flight batches of PLA aircraft were deployed, including early warning aircraft, aerial refuelers, fighters, and bombers. Combined coast guard enforcement and regular military air deployments represent a dual strategy—operating in the gray zone and reinforcing deterrence—leaving the DPP authorities struggling to respond. The more agitated the DPP becomes, the clearer it is that China’s Coast Guard presence near Dongsha is hitting a core vulnerability. For years, Taiwan’s Coast Guard had operated virtually without competition in these waters; now, the PRC Coast Guard has arrived—assertively and with full legitimacy, because this sea has always belonged to China.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880746257149964/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.