Beijing Defends Legitimacy of Coast Guard Operations in Waters Around Taiwan

Summary

China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian formally defended mainland coast guard patrols in waters east of Taiwan as lawful and sovereign exercises of jurisdiction, directly countering Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's characterization of these operations as destabilizing to regional peace and the international rules-based order. Zhu asserted that China holds legitimate exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf rights in waters east of Taiwan Island, framing the coast guard operations as a necessary response to what Beijing considers infringements by Japan and the Philippines. Beijing specifically criticized Japan and the Philippines for conducting bilateral maritime delimitation talks that bypassed China, characterizing these negotiations as illegal, invalid, and a direct violation of international law and established norms of international relations. Zhu further accused Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of complicity with foreign powers by staying silent on Japanese and Philippine maritime actions while simultaneously exploiting the situation to promote Taiwan independence rhetoric and stoke anti-mainland sentiment. Beijing warned that the DPP's alignment with external forces undermines the broader interests of the Chinese nation and directly harms the practical interests of Taiwan's fishing communities operating in contested waters.