Taiwan condemns Chinese naval incursion into disputed Spratly waters

Taiwan’s Coast Guard reported that Chinese warships entered the "restricted" zone surrounding Itu Aba (Taiping), the largest of the Spratly Islands, for the first time. The vessels remained for about 15 minutes before being driven away, prompting Taiwan to issue its strongest condemnation of the incident and warning of an escalation in the South China Sea.

Taiwan also rejected Chinese claims that recent maritime maneuvers created a “triangular encirclement” of the island. The Taiwanese coast guard affirmed its sovereign rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, called China’s actions harassment, and said it would respond to any attempts to assert jurisdiction over waters it considers its own.