Taipei: The United States government has described China's dispatch of coast guard vessels to waters east of Taiwan as "deeply destabilizing" and has called on Beijing to end its pressure campaign against the island.
According to Focus Taiwan, in China's latest move on Friday, the China Coast Guard announced that a formation led by the vessel "Xiushan" had intensified patrols in the region. The patrols, which started in July, aim to strengthen control over the relevant waters to ensure orderly navigation and maritime activities, as stated by China Coast Guard spokesperson Jiang Lue.
Jiang further claimed that the initiative was intended to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of fishermen on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. However, there was no elaboration on how these rights were being protected.
In response to China's announcement, a U.S. State Department spokesperson reiterated concerns over the Chinese Coast Guard's activities. "The United States remains concerned by Chinese Coast Guard activity east of Taiwan. China's actions are deeply destabilizing," the spokesperson stated. The spokesperson emphasized that China's assertion of authority over maritime areas that Taiwan has administered peacefully for decades only serves to heighten tensions.
The U.S. has urged Beijing to cease its pressure against Taiwan and engage in meaningful dialogue with the island's democratically elected authorities. This development follows China's launch of "special maritime law enforcement operations" in the region in response to Japan and the Philippines' talks on maritime boundary delimitation, which China claims infringes on its territorial sovereignty.
Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration has also responded by closely monitoring Chinese patrols with its Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessel Taipei (CG5005), ensuring the protection of its maritime boundaries.