Taiwan: Coast Guard Rejects China's Jurisdiction Claims After Monitoring Two Chinese Vessels Off East Coast
Taiwan's Coast Guard issued a statement on Sunday, November 2, rejecting China's claims of jurisdiction over waters surrounding Taiwan, saying Beijing has no authority over Taiwan's maritime areas. It said it had monitored two Chinese coast guard vessels off the east coast throughout their operations.
China said on Saturday that its Hushi and Meishan vessels were conducting what it called routine law enforcement patrols in waters east of China's Taiwan Island. Taiwan's Coast Guard dispatched the Ji An and other vessels to monitor the Chinese ships, according to the statement, and said it was using joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to closely track the vessels.
The Coast Guard said Taiwan has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone off the east coast, while China has no jurisdiction over Taiwan's maritime areas. The agency rejected Beijing's use of the term China's Taiwan Island and its description of the operation as a law enforcement patrol, and accused China of using political maneuvers and disinformation to assert jurisdiction over Taiwan's waters.
The Coast Guard also accused China of trying to harass vessels at sea through radio communications, saying such actions violate international law and undermine regional peace and stability. It pledged to continue monitoring maritime activity and take necessary measures to defend Taiwan's sovereignty and ensure maritime security.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 照片：台湾海巡署巡防舰「嘉义」号，台湾总统府发布，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 2.0 授权 / Photo: Taiwan Coast Guard patrol vessel Chiayi, by the Office of the President, Taiwan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
