Taiwan Accuses Chinese Vessels of Faking Jurisdiction Near Its Waters

Taiwan has accused Chinese government vessels of broadcasting to foreign commercial ships near Taiwan in an effort to create a false appearance of jurisdiction, expanding a pressure campaign involving China Coast Guard (CCG) and other state vessels.

Central News Agency (CNA), citing Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration, reported that Hai Xun 06 radioed three commercial ships transiting near Taiwan, asking for information such as ports of departure and arrival and the number of crew members.

The vessels were flagged in Singapore, Liberia, and Benin.

According to CNA’s account, Taiwan’s Coast Guard heard Hai Xun 06 radio a Singapore-flagged vessel southwest of Eluanbi at about 1 p.m. on June 7. The same Chinese vessel called a Liberia-flagged ship east of Suao at 6:08 a.m. on June 9 and a Benin-flagged ship east of Sandiaojiao at 8:43 a.m.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard warned the Chinese vessel that China had no jurisdiction in Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone and told the commercial ships to maintain normal navigation and ignore the Chinese broadcasts.

The Chinese vessel did not board, approach, or otherwise interfere with the commercial ships, Taiwan’s Coast Guard said.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said on June 9 that Chinese public vessels had broadcast to foreign commercial ships passing through waters under Taiwan’s jurisdiction. The council called the action a serious violation of international law and international conventions that damaged regional peace and stability.

Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, said in a June 9 post on X that China’s Hai Xun and Coast Guard vessels were “harassing commercial ships” in Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone to “fabricate a facade” of jurisdiction.

“This expansionism is a major escalation of regional tension,” Wu said. “We call on all commercial vessels in the area to ignore CCG radio calls.”

The vessels involved came from different parts of China’s maritime system, including safety, rescue, survey, and the Coast Guard vessels.

Hai Xun vessels are maritime safety ships under China’s transport system. Dong Hai Jiu 113 is a rescue vessel, distinct from CCG ships, which Taiwan says have separately operated around Dongsha, also known as the Pratas Islands.

4 Chinese Ships Near Eluanbi

The commercial-ship radio calls followed a June 7 encounter near Taiwan’s southern tip.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said four Chinese government ships—Hai Xun 06, Hai Xun 08, Hai Xun 09, and Dong Hai Jiu 113—moved toward waters southwest of Taiwan after China’s Ministry of Transport announced a maritime operation east of the island.

Taiwan tracked the four vessels after they left Xiamen and deployed multiple patrol ships and 100-ton cutters to monitor them.

Later that day, Taiwan’s Coast Guard said the same four Chinese vessels entered waters it described as restricted, at a position the agency gave as 30 nautical miles southwest of Eluanbi, Taiwan’s southern tip, at 2:05 p.m. Taiwan’s ships monitored them one-on-one and broadcast warnings ordering them to leave.

By 5:30 p.m., the four Chinese vessels had been pushed outside the restricted waters at a position the Coast Guard gave as 33 nautical miles southeast of Eluanbi, the agency said. It said the two sides remained in a standoff.

During the encounter, the Coast Guard said Hai Xun 06 claimed by radio that “both sides of the strait belong to one China” and that the Chinese formation was carrying out official maritime duties in waters under Chinese jurisdiction.

Taiwan’s Kaohsiung vessel responded that China had no sovereign rights in waters east of Taiwan and said the Chinese vessel had entered Taiwan’s waters without permission.

Dongsha Pressure

The June 7 encounter followed separate activity around Dongsha, a Taiwan-controlled island group in the northern South China Sea.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard said Chinese Coast Guard ship 3501 entered Dongsha restricted waters on June 5 and that Taiwan’s Patrol No. 9 monitored and expelled it. The Changhua vessel later continued the standoff, the agency said.

On June 6, the Coast Guard detected the Chinese survey ship Hai Si Lu 6 southeast of Dongsha and dispatched ships and patrol boats to respond.

The Coast Guard said the Dongsha encounters followed earlier activity by the Chinese research ship Tongji, which entered waters near Taiwan twice in May and deployed scientific equipment.

During the Dongsha encounter, CCG 3501 claimed it was conducting law-enforcement activity and told Taiwan’s vessel not to interfere. Taiwan’s Changhua vessel responded that the Chinese vessel had entered Taiwan’s waters without permission and should leave immediately, according to the Coast Guard.

Japan, Philippines Drawn Into Dispute

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of China, although the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled the island. Taiwan is self-governed and rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.

The dispute has also affected Japan and the Philippines.

Asahi Shimbun reported that Japan had confirmed Chinese Coast Guard vessels sailing in Japan’s exclusive economic zone south of Yonaguni Island, Okinawa Prefecture. Citing Japanese government sources, the newspaper reported that two Chinese Coast Guard vessels entered Japan’s EEZ south of Yonaguni on June 3 and claimed they were conducting a routine patrol in waters under Chinese jurisdiction after Japan Coast Guard vessels radioed them.

At a June 9 Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing, a TV Asahi reporter asked about reports that Chinese Coast Guard vessels had sailed near the exclusive economic zone around Yonaguni and asserted jurisdiction after Japan’s Coast Guard radioed them.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian referred to China Coast Guard statements and said Beijing claims an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf east of Taiwan. He also criticized Japan and the Philippines for starting what he called maritime delimitation talks without China.

China Coast Guard spokesperson Jiang Lue said on June 1 that a CCG formation led by the Daishan vessel would carry out patrols east of Taiwan. Jiang described the patrols as a response to Japan and the Philippines announcing maritime delimitation talks east of Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said China had no right to use possible maritime delimitation talks between Japan and the Philippines as a reason to expand its jurisdictional claims around Taiwan.

The ministry said Japan and the Philippines had not formally begun talks or set a timetable, and that any future discussions over exclusive economic zones or continental shelves would not affect Taiwan’s rights.