China launches special maritime operation near Taiwan

China’s Ministry of Transport announced a “special operation” to enforce maritime traffic east of Taiwan, asserting Chinese administrative jurisdiction and protecting national interests. The operation, carried out by coast‑guard units from Fujian and Guangdong provinces together with forces stationed in the East China Sea, is described by state media Xinhua as a necessary response to “illegal” talks between Japan and the Philippines on delimiting maritime boundaries in the area.

Japan and the Philippines have recently agreed to deepen defence cooperation and begin negotiations on exclusive economic‑zone borders near Taiwan. Beijing says the talks “seriously infringe on its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.” The Chinese operation follows a June 1 deployment of coast‑guard vessels for law‑enforcement patrols in the same waters.

Taiwan’s coast‑guard reported sighting four Chinese vessels and dispatched patrol ships to monitor the activity, but the island’s defence ministry has not issued a comment. The move raises regional tensions and underscores the dispute over the waters that overlap China’s claimed exclusive economic zone and Taiwan’s self‑governed territory.