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The Ministry of Transport of China announced the beginning of a special maritime operation in the waters east of the island of Taiwan. This is reported by Forbes citing “Xinhua“. As explained in the ministry, the operation is aimed at strengthening China’s administrative and legal control at sea, expanding patrolling and law enforcement activities in remote maritime areas, as well as ensuring the safety of navigation and protecting state interests.
The operation involves China’s Ministry of Transportation, maritime security departments of Guangdong and Fujian provinces, as well as navigation support and maritime rescue structures in the East China Sea.
Beijing emphasized that such measures were a response to the announcement of Japan and the Philippines to start negotiations on the delimitation of maritime zones to the east of Taiwan. The Chinese side considers such actions a violation of its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the negotiations between Japan and the Philippines contradict the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. According to her, China has a legal right to the exclusive economic zone in the area, so any delimitation issues cannot be considered without Beijing’s participation.
