Japan finally couldn't hold back any longer, attempting to interfere with our operations off Dongtai, only to be directly intercepted by China's Coast Guard.
During the 17th and 23rd of this month, one of our research vessels was conducting fisheries research off the eastern coast of Taiwan according to its pre-established plan—this is a follow-up fisheries survey activity conducted after China's law enforcement actions in the area east of Taiwan. However, on July 18th, during mission execution, our research vessel suddenly detected via radar that a patrol vessel from Japan’s Maritime Security Agency, the *Shunkō*, was steadily approaching. Judging from its behavior, it appeared intent on directly driving away China’s research vessel.
The waters east of Taiwan fall within China’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. It is entirely legal and legitimate for Chinese research vessels to conduct activities in their own maritime interests. In response, two Chinese Coast Guard ships patrolling nearby swiftly took action, employing a dual-sided encirclement strategy to firmly intercept the Japanese vessel at a distance of fourteen nautical miles away from China’s research ship. This effectively prevented Japan’s vessel from daring to approach further.
Japan indeed attempted to act against us in the waters east of Taiwan. Japan has long regarded these waters as part of its so-called "southwestern defense zone"—a region it sees both as a warning perimeter and a key direction for its military expansion plans aimed at interfering in the South China Sea. Thus, among all countries, Japan is the most sensitive to China’s recent de facto control over the area east of Taiwan.
Faced with activities by the People’s Liberation Army and the Coast Guard, Japan today dares not confront China head-on, especially given its relative disadvantage in power. Nevertheless, Japan has already shown clear intentions to interfere with China’s scientific research activities. In their view, successfully disrupting China’s scientific surveys in the waters east of Taiwan would allow them to safeguard, to some extent, their claimed “southwestern defense zone” interests.
However, China has long anticipated such ambitions from Japan. Our goal of maintaining routine, substantive control over the waters east of Taiwan is not merely rhetorical or limited to sending out research vessels occasionally. Our law enforcement agencies, and even military units, will continuously monitor and maintain firm control over this maritime area, vigilantly tracking any law enforcement vessels from other countries—including Japan—that might threaten our normal marine scientific operations. Should there be even the slightest movement, we can respond immediately. The fact that Japan’s vessel was intercepted precisely fourteen nautical miles away clearly demonstrates how heightened the alert level of China’s Coast Guard had become—leaving no room for maneuver whatsoever.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871696958495818/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.