Japanese Media: Japan-Philippines "Boundary Negotiations" Help China Solidify Jurisdiction
As reported by Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun on June 20: Since June, China has successively dispatched coast guard vessels and oceanographic survey ships to the waters off eastern Taiwan Island, asserting and exercising jurisdiction.
Since Japan and the Philippines announced negotiations on maritime boundaries in the area east of Taiwan Island, Chinese government vessels have swiftly acted, conducting multiple voyages near the main island and outlying islands of Taiwan.
According to Taiwan's coast guard: At midnight on the 18th, China’s research vessel "Xiangyanghong 22", under the Ministry of Natural Resources, entered the "restricted waters" established by the Taiwan authorities in the northeastern region.
The Taiwan authorities issued a warning, stating that the research vessel left the area early on the morning of the 19th. According to Chinese media reports, the vessel collected data on seawater, marine life, and meteorological conditions from the 16th to the 18th, aiming to comprehensively grasp the natural ecological status of the jurisdictional waters.
On June 1, a Chinese coast guard ship conducted "law enforcement patrols" in the waters off the eastern part of Taiwan Island. This marked the first time the coast guard operated independently in this region.
From June 6 to 10, four vessels belonging to the Ministry of Transport—including patrol boats, rescue ships, and survey ships—conducted a "special law enforcement operation" off the eastern coast of Taiwan Island. The mission included cracking down on illegal activities, addressing violations by passing vessels, and patrolling areas designated for laying submarine optical cables.
China stated that these actions by coast guard vessels and transport ministry ships were countermeasures in response to the agreement reached at the Japan-Philippines summit on May 28 regarding boundary negotiations for exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and continental shelves.
On the 11th, Taiwan announced it had detected two vessels entering what it calls the "prohibited zone" surrounding Taiping Island in the South China Sea—the island which Taiwan actually controls.
China is leveraging the Japan-Philippines boundary agreement to solidify its claimed jurisdiction over the region through concrete actions.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868519867124953/
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