China Launches Maritime Law Enforcement Operation East of Taiwan

Beijing has launched a multi-agency maritime law enforcement operation in waters east of Taiwan Island, marking a significant escalation in its response to Japan and the Philippines’ decision to initiate bilateral maritime boundary negotiations in the region. The operation, announced on June 6 by China’s Ministry of Transport, mobilizes four maritime agencies to conduct traffic regulation and law enforcement patrols in an area where China claims sovereign rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Context: The Japan-Philippines Boundary Talks

The operation is a direct response to the May 28 announcement by Japan and the Philippines that they would launch formal “EEZ and Continental Shelf Maritime Boundary Negotiations” during the Philippine President’s visit to Tokyo. The proposed delimitation area lies in waters east of Taiwan Island — a region where China maintains competing maritime claims. According to Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese government views these talks as a “serious infringement on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”

Japan has stated that any agreement reached with the Philippines “will clarify the rights and obligations of Japan and the Philippines as the two relevant parties, will not have legally binding force on third parties, and there are no issues under international law,” as reported by NHK.

The Operation: Multi-Agency Enforcement

On June 6, the Ministry of Transport organized the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration, Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration, East China Sea Navigation Guarantee Center, and East China Sea Rescue Bureau to conduct what it described as a “special maritime traffic law enforcement operation” in waters east of Taiwan Island. The Ministry of Transport stated the operation aims to “fully exercise China’s maritime administrative law enforcement jurisdiction, enhance deep-sea cruise law enforcement and key water area traffic control capabilities, ensure maritime traffic safety, and safeguard national rights and interests.”

By June 7, the operation was actively underway, with personnel inspecting and verifying passing vessels, according to Xinhua’s on-the-ground reporting.

Escalating Timeline

The operation follows a series of escalating Chinese responses to the Japan-Philippines initiative:

• June 1: The China Coast Guard’s Daishan ship flotilla conducted law enforcement patrols in the same waters. Coast Guard spokesperson Jiang Lue stated this was “a necessary action taken in response to Japan and the Philippines unilaterally announcing the initiation of maritime boundary delimitation negotiations,” as reported by The Paper.

• June 2: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning declared that under UNCLOS, “delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in waters east of Taiwan must involve Chinese participation.” She also labeled “Taiwan independence” forces as “thoroughly national scum.”

• June 3: State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian stated at a regular press conference that the Japan-Philippines boundary talks are “completely illegal and invalid.”

• June 6: The Ministry of Transport launched the multi-agency maritime law enforcement operation.

Taiwan’s Dilemma

Taiwan’s response has revealed a complex diplomatic predicament. On May 31, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs initially issued a press release “affirming” the Japan-Philippines talks, expressing hope for joint contributions to regional peace. However, by June 3, the ministry adjusted its position, calling for Japan and the Philippines to consider Taiwan’s rights and interests.

Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Shen Youzhong struck a cautious tone, stating that “Taiwan’s sovereignty and fishing rights will absolutely not be affected” by the Japan-Philippines talks, but warned that “what is truly alarming is Beijing using this issue to expand its maritime law enforcement scope and continuing to pressure Taiwan through military aircraft and vessel incursions,” as Lianhe Zaobao reported.

Expert Analysis: Legal Underpinnings

Dr. Gao Zhikai, a professor at Soochow University and vice director of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), provided a detailed legal analysis in an interview with Guancha.cn. He argued that both Japan and the Philippines’ claims are fundamentally flawed under international law:

• Japan’s boundary: Under the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation and the 1946 Allied Powers Directive, Japan’s southern territorial boundary stops at 30°N latitude, meaning Japan does not hold sovereignty over the Ryukyu Islands chain and surrounding waters south of that line.

• Philippines’ boundary: Under the 1898 Treaty of Paris between the US and Spain, the Philippines’ northern boundary stops at 20°N latitude, yet the Philippines currently controls territory up to approximately 21.5°N.

“Japan and the Philippines are trying to collude to carve up maritime rights that belong to China,” Gao said, calling the legal basis of their claims “fundamentally flawed.”

Analysis: Strategic Implications

This operation represents a notable expansion of China’s maritime enforcement footprint. Previously, Chinese maritime activities east of Taiwan had been relatively limited compared to its presence in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and waters near the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. The deployment of the Daishan ship flotilla on June 1 and the subsequent multi-agency transport ministry operation mark a significant push into waters directly east of Taiwan.

Analysts suggest this could establish a precedent for regular Chinese law enforcement patrols in the area, effectively extending Beijing’s maritime control ring around the island. The operation also tests how Japan, the Philippines, the United States, and other regional actors will respond to China’s expanded presence in this strategically important corridor.

What’s Next

The situation raises several critical questions for the weeks ahead. Will China sustain these patrols as a regular presence, or was this a one-time show of force? How will Japan and the Philippines adjust their boundary negotiation strategy in response to China’s forceful objections? And crucially, how will the United States — which has strengthened trilateral cooperation with Tokyo and Manila — respond to Beijing’s assertion of jurisdiction in waters that serve as a vital transit route for regional commerce and military assets?

For Taiwan, the dilemma deepens: excluded from the Japan-Philippines talks as a non-state actor, yet facing an expanding Chinese maritime enforcement presence that directly challenges its claims to the same waters. The coming weeks will reveal whether this operation marks the beginning of a new normal in the waters east of Taiwan — or a flashpoint in an already volatile region.