The China Coast Guard announced that on the 4th, it conducted regular law enforcement patrols in the waters east of Taiwan.
The Coast Guard made this announcement on Weibo on the same day. The Coast Guard had previously stated last month that it was conducting law enforcement patrols in the same waters, but this latest announcement specifically mentioned that patrols are now “regularized.”
Spokesperson Jiang Lue reported that the Xiushan ship formation of the mainland coast guard has relieved the Daishan ship formation and will continue to lawfully carry out patrols in the waters east of Taiwan.
Jiang also said that since June, the Daishan ship formation has continuously engaged in patrolling, verification, fishery protection, and rescue operations in the relevant waters, ensuring the order of normal navigation and operations, and “safeguarding the legitimate rights, interests, and safety of life and property of Chinese fishermen, including those from Taiwan.”
Jiang emphasized that the mainland coast guard “will continue to strengthen law enforcement patrols in waters under China’s jurisdiction, and resolutely safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
After Japan and the Philippines launched delimitation negotiations at the end of May for the waters east of Taiwan, near south of Japan’s Yonaguni Island, mainland China announced it would undertake law enforcement actions in these waters, further escalating the standoff between China and Japan.
Taiwan Coast Guard: Full Surveillance
In response, Taiwan’s Coast Guard said it has dispatched two ships to accompany and monitor the situation throughout.
On the 4th, the Coast Guard issued a press release stating that it has deployed joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance measures for close monitoring of the movements of China’s Xiushan and Chongming coast guard vessels. At 9:25 a.m. that day, both mainland Chinese coast guard ships were observed sailing east of Hualien Port at a distance of 54 nautical miles (27 nautical miles outside the restricted area) heading for the open sea, with the Bali and Hualien ships of the Taiwan Coast Guard pre-positioned to accompany and monitor.