Taiwan raises concerns with China via third-party channels amid maritime operations
Taipei, July 28
Taiwan has communicated its concerns to Beijing "through third countries and existing private channels" regarding recent Chinese activities east of Taiwan, which Beijing has described as law-enforcement operations, according to a report by the Taipei Times.
Speaking at a seminar in Taipei, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung said, "In addition to lodging a public protest, we have conveyed our concern and dissatisfaction to China through third countries and existing private mechanisms."
However, Shen did not reveal which third countries were involved, provide details about the private channels used, specify when the communication occurred, or indicate whether Taiwan had received any response.
Official communication between Taiwan and China has remained largely suspended since 2016, after Beijing cut formal ties following the Democratic Progressive Party's return to power.
Shen's comments came as the China Coast Guard, along with the Chinese government and research vessels, has conducted a series of operations east of Taiwan since last month, including what Beijing has referred to as "special maritime law-enforcement operations".
According to the Taipei Times, citing Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration, official Chinese vessels have been operating within Taiwan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with some instructing passing merchant ships to leave the area while others have sought to assert jurisdiction by claiming to carry out law-enforcement patrols.
The report further stated that Chinese research vessels have also been conducting surveys within Taiwan's EEZ. Among them was the Lanhai 201, which was located 53 nautical miles east-northeast of Orchid Island off Taitung County last week. An EEZ can extend up to 200 nautical miles from a coastal state's baselines.
While foreign vessels generally have the right to freedom of navigation within an EEZ, marine scientific research requires permission from the coastal state. Shen said Taiwan is dealing with official Chinese vessels based on the principle of "avoiding escalation" beyond 24 nautical miles from its coastline, while "not backing down on sovereignty" within that distance.
Shen also said that China's radio "checks" on passing vessels have largely been symbolic efforts to reinforce its jurisdictional claims.
However, he warned that any attempt by Chinese authorities to board and inspect Taiwanese fishing or commercial vessels would represent a significant escalation.
According to Shen, the Taiwanese government has advised its vessels to keep moving if approached by official Chinese ships, making it more difficult for boarding attempts to take place. If a Taiwan Coast Guard vessel is nearby, ships have been instructed to head towards it for assistance. If no coast guard vessel is available, they should return to waters within 24 nautical miles of Taiwan, the Taipei Times reported.
According to the report, Shen further stated that Taiwan plans to strengthen its surveillance and response capabilities, including increasing the use of drones to offset China's numerical and tonnage advantage in maritime assets.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I appreciate Taiwan's approach of avoiding escalation beyond 24 nautical miles while not backing down on sovereignty. It shows maturity and strategic thinking. The Chinese side needs to respect international norms and stop these aggressive patrols.
This is a worrying pattern from China. They're slowly but surely trying to chip away at Taiwan's de facto independence. The international community needs to pay more attention and support Taiwan's right to defend its territorial waters.
No doubt, Chinese operations are aggressive, but Taiwan should also have stronger diplomatic outreach beyond these secret channels. They can't rely solely on avoiding escalation; they need more friends in the region.
The fact that China is using research vessels and law enforcement operations to assert claims in Taiwan's EEZ is concerning. Taiwan's strategy of advising ships to keep moving and seek assistance from their Coast Guard seems practical but isn't sustainable long-term.
China's behavior is unacceptable. They're trying to bully Taiwan into submission. Taiwan should consider seeking more formal diplomatic support from countries like the US and Japan to counter these illegal maritime claims.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.