China's maritime traffic enforcement and hydrographic survey operation in waters east of Taiwan Island sent a pointed warning to Japan, the Philippines.
The operation demonstrates that China's exercise of jurisdiction in the waters east of Taiwan Island has moved beyond legal pronouncements and policy statements, and has now been translated into comprehensive practices, including on-site law enforcement, hydrographic survey operation, navigation management, and safety assurance.
This operation is a precise countermeasure against the egregious actions of Japan and the Philippines in unilaterally announcing plans to launch so-called "negotiations on maritime delimitation" in waters east of China's Taiwan Island, a move that would seriously infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
As Japan and the Philippines are bypassing China to conduct so-called "negotiations on maritime delimitation" in waters east of China's Taiwan Island, China's maritime traffic enforcement and hydrographic survey operation conducted in accordance with the law is entirely legitimate, necessary, and timely.
It demonstrates not only China's firm determination to resolutely safeguard its national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, but also its full capability to take concrete actions.
The operation covered an area extending north to the Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands, south to the waters east of Taiwan Island, and west to the waters near Kinmen, forming a triangular closed loop firmly surrounding Taiwan Island.
Meanwhile, the maritime conditions in this area are complex, posing significant challenges to vessel performance and enforcement capabilities.
The successful completion of this operation proves that the CCG has already developed the capability to conduct routine law enforcement patrols and control in this sea area.
It also indicates that China has established a relatively complete system for safeguarding sovereignty, maritime rights and interests, and maritime governance around Taiwan Island.
Therefore, the operation is not only a legal pronouncement of sovereign rights and jurisdiction, but actually an important step in transforming rights assertions into jurisdictional practice.
The signals are very clear. First, it serves as a pointed warning to external forces attempting to manipulate the Taiwan question, significantly squeezing their room for "scheming" in the waters east of Taiwan Island.
This area has long been viewed by external forces such as Japan, the Philippines, and the US as a key direction for intervening in the Taiwan Straits, linking the "first island chain," and shaping the so-called "Indo-Pacific maritime order."
The so-called "negotiations on maritime delimitation" promoted by Japan and the Philippines are in fact intended to first create legal texts through "negotiations on maritime delimitation," then establish administrative facts through "joint maritime management," and finally introduce military presence under the pretexts of "freedom of navigation," "maritime security," and "collective defense."
The forward deployment of mainland law enforcement forces in the waters east of Taiwan Island is precisely aimed at preemptively blocking this chain of actions.
It marks a shift in the Chinese mainland's operations in the waters east of Taiwan Island from isolated coast guard enforcement to coordinated action involving coast guard, maritime affairs, maritime safety administration, rescue and other agencies.
It also makes clear to the world that for every step external forces take to advance unlawful arrangements, the Chinese mainland's enforcement capabilities advance correspondingly to shape facts on the ground; For every "grey-zone legal construct" they attempt to create, the Chinese mainland will match it with clearer and more concrete administrative enforcement realities. There is absolutely no room for bargaining in this regard.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. repeatedly made irresponsible remarks on China, which undermines China’s legitimate interests and sabotages China-Philippines relations.
To uphold China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, China has decided to prohibit Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his spouse and child from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, and not allow organizations and individuals in China to engage in any transaction, cooperation or other activities with him and his spouse and child.
In a joint statement, the United States condemned the lethal plotting and other malign actions in Europe, North America, and Australia by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Intelligence Organisation, Quds Force, and Ministry of Intelligence and Security, including those against Iranian dissidents, journalists and Jewish and Israeli communities and interests.
https://t.co/h3ldiSRFTH
The Iranian regime will lose the zero-sum game it is playing.
Any damage it inflicts on our allies in the Gulf will be paid for with funds extracted from Iranian Accounts.
Any tolls paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority will be offset by funds extracted from their accounts.
Every attack Iran launches will only deepen the economic and financial consequences it faces.
China is firmly against EU’s unwarranted unilateral sanctions against Chinese companies that have no basis in international law or UN authorization. China will do what is necessary to firmly protect its legitimate rights and interests.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said the EU must defend itself against unfair trade practices, signaling greater openness to recent European Commission proposals for a tougher approach to China.
https://t.co/Q20mlFfhom
Meloni reiterated Italy’s support for Ukraine and said it was “key to find someone who can represent European interests at the negotiating table” https://t.co/Wr0Dc2hwec
🇵🇰🇷🇺 ‘Pakistan values Russia as a global power and a trusted partner’ – Pakistan President
Asif Ali Zardari delivered a congratulatory speech to the guests at a reception hosted by the Russian Embassy in Islamabad in honor of Russia Day.