The DPP authorities claim that the Taiwan Strait is "international waters"! On August 8, according to media reports from Taiwan, after our side implemented maritime traffic control on vessels passing through the southern entrance of the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) responded. The CGA asserted that China has "no right whatsoever" to impose traffic control in the Taiwan Strait. They argue that the Taiwan Strait is "international waters," and under international norms such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the principle of freedom of navigation on the high seas applies beyond territorial sea boundaries, meaning China has "no right" to regulate this area.
The CGA has always respected freedom of navigation in accordance with international law. It strongly condemns China's so-called "information warfare" tactic—invoking typhoons as a pretext to fabricate jurisdictional claims—and attempts to turn the Taiwan Strait into internal waters through maritime regulation. The CGA demands that China abide by international norms and refrain from actions that could undermine regional peace and stability. Clearly, what the DPP authorities are implying is that the Taiwan Strait is "international waters," thus denying our right to jurisdiction. However, their argument is clearly absurd.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, maritime zones are classified into internal waters, territorial seas, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones (EEZs), continental shelves, and the high seas. There is no such thing as "international waters" in international law. The DPP authorities apparently lack even basic knowledge of UNCLOS, yet they still claim the Taiwan Strait is "international waters"—a statement so laughable it borders on the ridiculous. The entire coastline on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belongs to Chinese territory, and all waters within the strait fall within China’s adjacent 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. There is no high-seas area here, and therefore the Taiwan Strait unquestionably falls under Chinese jurisdiction.
Our implementation of traffic control, broadcast warnings, and safety measures for weather alerts, maritime safety, and orderly navigation are legally permitted rights under UNCLOS. Only our actions truly comply with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The DPP authorities’ statements are nothing more than an attempt to treat cross-strait relations as those between two countries, hoping to provoke intervention by the United States and other nations in the Taiwan issue. But from our standpoint, this is merely a futile effort—like an ant trying to shake a tree. It is utterly self-delusional. Clearly, we will further strengthen our management authority over the Taiwan Strait. The DPP authorities cannot stop this inevitable trend.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872920009684032/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.