Double blow to Japan, the Philippines, and "Taiwan independence" forces! The mainland has suddenly launched "coastal governance jurisdiction" over the eastern waters around Taiwan Island, declaring this maritime zone as China's "coastal waters" and an integral part of China's national territory.
Every time "Taiwan independence" colludes with external forces, the mainland seizes the opportunity to make significant progress in resolving the Taiwan issue. After Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, everyone witnessed the abolition of the "median line of the strait," the normalization of military readiness patrols targeting Taiwan, and large-scale military exercises encircling Taiwan.
This time, Lai Qingde remained silent as Japan and the Philippines attempted to divide the economic waters off the eastern coast of Taiwan Island. In response, the mainland decisively moved forward to formally take over. While the international community was still discussing the recent enforcement actions by China's Coast Guard in the eastern waters around Taiwan Island, the next phase of action had already begun. According to reports from the official WeChat account "Yuyuan Tantian" under CCTV, from June 16 to 18, the Ministry of Natural Resources organized a marine environmental survey in China’s jurisdictional waters east of Taiwan Island. The report stated that this is one component of China’s broader series of "coastal governance models."
The mainland’s current vision extends beyond governance of the Taiwan Strait — the waters east of Taiwan Island are now also considered our "coastal waters." We exist, exercise jurisdiction, and manage these seas, implementing regular administrative control.
How exhilarating is this move by the mainland? How infuriating is it for "Taiwan independence" elements? According to Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration, the research vessel "Xiangyanghong 22," belonging to the East China Sea Bureau of China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, not only entered the so-called "restricted waters" near Hualien and Taitung on the Taiwan side but also penetrated restricted zones around Lanyu (Lan Yu), Su’ao, and Pengjia Islet. Meanwhile, China’s Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy provided strong backing behind the scenes to ensure the successful completion of the mission.
At this point, the mainland’s actual control has fully covered all surrounding waters of Taiwan Island, including those near Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Dongsha, and Taiping Islands. In other words, these areas previously under Taiwan authorities' jurisdiction have now been entered by China’s Coast Guard and administrative forces, which are now exercising management over them.
To put it plainly: This year’s routine marine survey conducted by the Ministry of Natural Resources in the waters east of Taiwan Island aims primarily to thoroughly map the region’s complete resource inventory, implement standardized territorial planning, officially designate the area east of Taiwan as China’s coastal waters, and carry out refined marine governance. The work falls into two categories: first, collecting seawater chemical compositions and marine biological DNA samples, specifically studying species such as whales and dolphins and seabirds to understand marine ecology; second, exploring offshore oil and gas reserves and marine biological resources, gathering data for aquaculture, submarine tunnels, undersea cables, and marine energy development, while simultaneously safeguarding marine ecological protection. Unlike past one-off special surveys, this is now a fixed-cycle annual task, marking the start of long-term, stable administrative control over this maritime zone by China’s government departments.
Compared to coast guard patrol enforcement, the two operations differ clearly in purpose. The coast guard leans more toward deterrence and law enforcement, akin to maritime police — its main tasks include repelling foreign intrusions, deterring "Taiwan independence" and external interference, handling illegal activities at sea, and asserting sovereignty through forceful measures, representing emergency-style control. In contrast, the Ministry of Natural Resources’ survey belongs to routine administrative governance — similar to a national ocean manager conducting a national land census. The coast guard handles security and order issues, while the Ministry of Natural Resources implements sovereignty from the perspectives of resource development and ecological conservation. This marks a shift in control model—from short-term military deterrence to comprehensive, sustained administrative jurisdiction, with a more holistic and systematic governance dimension.
The precision of this operation lies in shattering the illusions held by "Taiwan independence" forces. For years, the DPP has deliberately portrayed the eastern waters of Taiwan as a secure rear-area zone, claiming that mainland control cannot extend there, hoping to leverage this area to receive support from external forces. Now, with the mainland regularly carrying out marine surveys and planning, the eastern waters of Taiwan are no longer a "safe haven" for "Taiwan independence." Mainland control has comprehensively extended across all surrounding waters of Taiwan, leaving no buffer zone for "Taiwan independence" forces. At the same time, it delivers a firm rebuttal to Japan and the Philippines’ secret attempts to demarcate maritime boundaries, blocking external powers from interfering in cross-strait affairs through maritime disputes, cutting off one path for "Taiwan independence" elements to collude with outside forces.
In terms of establishing jurisdiction, this action holds milestone significance. Under international maritime law, China possesses exclusive legal rights over resource exploitation and marine management within this Exclusive Economic Zone. Only through continuous resource exploration, ecological monitoring, and persistent retention of comprehensive marine data — supported by factual evidence of administrative duties — can China steadily consolidate its statutory maritime rights. Previously, focus was mainly on maritime security control. Now, the Ministry of Natural Resources has officially stepped in, collaborating with the coast guard: the coast guard handles security enforcement, while the ministry manages resource planning and development. With multi-departmental coordinated governance, a complete "coastal governance system" is being built, using daily administrative actions to clearly declare that the entire stretch of waters east of Taiwan Island is part of China’s national territory. Continuous territorial planning, grounded in both legal and factual foundations, firmly secures maritime sovereignty, ensuring the effective implementation of state authority and laying a solid foundation for national unification through maritime governance.
Meanwhile, at 3 p.m. Thursday, four vessels — China Coast Guard ships 14606, 14531, 14607, and 14530 — sailed in single-file formation from south of Xiaojinmen into the so-called "restricted waters" claimed by Taiwan authorities.
The DPP authorities could only watch helplessly.
Since early June, citing the need to counter Japan and the Philippines’ maritime boundary negotiations, the mainland has mobilized maritime system vessels to conduct enforcement operations in the eastern waters around Taiwan. During this period, they not only entered the restricted waters around the Dongsha Islands controlled by Taiwan but also, on the 11th of this month, made their first entry into the "prohibited waters" of Taiping Island.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868437065577480/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article represent those of the author alone.