Taiwan’s coast guard said on Sunday that its ships had “expelled” four Chinese government ships that entered restricted waters off the island’s south after the two sides broadcast testy warnings to each other, in an escalation of tensions.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has been angered by Japan and the Philippines saying last month they would begin formal talks on delimiting their maritime boundary, viewing that as involving waters off Taiwan.
Late on Saturday, Chinese state media said that ships had been sent to carry out a “special maritime traffic law-enforcement operation” in the waters east of Taiwan in response to the Japanese and Philippine announcement.
Taiwan’s coast guard said that four Chinese ships, including three coast guard vessels, had sailed on Sunday afternoon into Taiwan’s restricted waters 30 nautical miles southwest of the island’s southern tip.
Taiwan sent seven coast guard vessels to warn away the Chinese ships, and late afternoon Sunday all four Chinese government vessels were “expelled” from the restricted waters, it said in a statement.
Taiwan’s coast guard published a recording of the Chinese warning to the Taiwanese ships in which an unidentified officer says: “These are waters under Chinese jurisdiction. Our maritime law-enforcement formation is carrying out a special traffic law-enforcement mission in the waters of the Taiwan Strait. Do not interfere with our official duties.”
A Taiwanese coast guard officer replies that China does not enjoy any “sovereign rights” in the waters east of Taiwan.
“If conflict occurs, your side will face sanctions from the world. Only maritime stability can ensure your country’s development,” the Taiwanese officer added.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not answer calls seeking comment outside of office hours.
Taiwan has reported a rise in Chinese coast guard activity over the past two weeks, including stand-offs around the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the top end of the South China Sea.