Taiwan Coast Guard said on Sunday it has deployed vessels to respond to a Chinese operation in waters east of the island.
The fresh escalation came after Chinese state media reported on Saturday that the “law enforcement operation” responded to talks between Japan and the Philippines to draw a boundary in the affected waters.
Taiwan reported that a Chinese survey vessel had joined a coast guard ship in waters around Pratas Island — administered by Taiwan — on Saturday in the northern part of the South China Sea.
Taipei said it was “the first observed instance of Chinese coast guard and survey vessels acting in coordination to provoke Taiwan”.
Taipei, on Sunday, described the Chinese move as a “violation of international law.”
China, which asserts Taiwan is part of its territory, called the talks “illegal” and has claimed exclusive control over the waters.
The Chinese ships have been monitored “throughout the entire process” and Taiwan “has deployed the necessary vessels to respond appropriately,” the Taiwanese coast guard said in a statement.
Taiwan said it had detected four Chinese government vessels departing from Xiamen port, which had sailed outside Taiwanese restricted waters southwest of the island.
Taiwan’s coast guard dispatched more than five vessels “to assist with surveillance”.
The Chinese vessels were expected to arrive “in the relevant waters” on Sunday, the statement said, adding that “China does not enjoy any sovereign rights in the waters east of Taiwan”.
Related
