China stated that it has dispatched Coast Guard vessels to conduct "law enforcement patrols" east of Taiwan, demonstrating dissatisfaction after Japan and the Philippines agreed to hold talks regarding maritime borders in the area. This was reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.
Such a move was necessary because the negotiations between Japan and the Philippines "seriously violate China's territorial sovereignty, as well as its maritime rights and interests,"
"We urge Japan and the Philippines to immediately cease all illegal activities that undermine China's sovereign rights and interests," Jiang said, adding that the China Coast Guard "will continue to strengthen control and management of the relevant waters."
The publication notes that this episode underscores the tension surrounding Taiwan—a democratic island with a population of 23 million people that Beijing considers its territory, while Taipei rejects such claims. Following a meeting last week in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that the parties had begun discussions on border issues.
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Marcos also noted that the Philippines and Japan share a commitment to strengthening maritime security and ensuring the rule of law in the region. Last month, he stated that the Philippines would likely be involved in the event of a conflict over Taiwan due to the country's proximity to the island—a position that draws dissatisfaction from Beijing. In November, Takaichi stated that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could be grounds for deploying Japanese troops, which caused a prolonged escalation in relations between Tokyo and Beijing.
Last week, China already signaled its dissatisfaction with the maritime border negotiations. PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Friday that China has rights to an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the area in accordance with national and international law, and called the negotiations between Tokyo and Manila "illegal, null, and void."
The China Coast Guard has previously patrolled the waters east of Taiwan. During one such mission in April last year, exercises were conducted to detain Taiwanese "separatists" attempting to flee by sea, the state-run Global Times reported at the time. The Coast Guard has also participated in military exercises around Taiwan, which Beijing increasingly conducts to pressure the government in Taipei.