China patrols waters east of Taiwan in response to Japan, Philippine maritime border talks
BEIJING/TAIPEI, June 1 (Reuters) – The China Coast Guard said on Monday it was conducting “law enforcement” patrols in waters east of Taiwan in response to plans by Japan and the Philippines to open talks on delimiting maritime borders overlapping areas claimed by China.
Japan and the Philippines announced last week that they would begin official negotiations on the delimitation of the maritime borders and continental shelf of the exclusive economic zone between the two countries “in accordance with international law”.
Delimitation involves the legal and cartographic process of defining the border between two regions or countries.
While not providing details, China’s foreign ministry said Friday that this area covers waters east of Taiwan, which Beijing considers its own territory, adding that such talks are “completely illegal, null and void.”
The China Coast Guard said in a statement that a fleet was lawfully patrolling east of Taiwan, but did not specify exactly where.
“This is a necessary action taken in response to Japan and the Philippines unilaterally announcing the launch of China’s maritime boundary delimitation negotiations in the waters east of the island of Taiwan,” he said.
“We call on Japan and the Philippines to immediately stop all illegal actions that violate China’s sovereign rights and interests.”
Taiwan Coast Guard had no comment on the matter. The Philippine and Japanese embassies in Beijing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Taiwan is outraged
Late Sunday, Taiwan’s foreign ministry condemned China’s comments.
“China has no right to interfere with Taiwan’s territorial sovereignty and sovereign rights over relevant maritime areas,” the statement said.
Taiwan reports that Chinese warships and warplanes circle the island almost daily and are sometimes joined by Chinese Coast Guard ships.
Last month, a Chinese coast guard ship approached the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the upper end of the South China Sea but left after a scuffle with the Taiwanese coast guard.
Speaking to reporters in parliament on Monday, Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo said the Coast Guard has a primary role around Pratas, and the military also has a role to play by assisting the Taiwan Coast Guard.
“The Navy will provide the necessary assistance in accordance with our joint cooperation protocols,” he added, without elaborating further.
China claims Taiwan and nearly the entire South China Sea through the “nine lines” on its maps that cut through the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s claim.
(Reporting by Joe Cash in Beijing and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Stephen Coates and Thomas Derpinghaus)
