Chinese militia ships spotted on Taiwan's east coast, U.S. warns: Seriously damaging stability

After a Chinese maritime militia ship was first spotted in waters east of Taiwan in August this year, the U.S. State Department publicly warned on the 10th that China's maritime actions in east Taiwan were "deeply destabilizing" and not only exacerbated tensions, but also undermined Beijing's claim that it hopes to resolve the issue peacefully.

According to Reuters, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in response to the presence of Chinese maritime militia ships in Taiwan's eastern waters that the United States continues to pay attention to China's activities east of Taiwan and called on Beijing to stop exerting pressure on Taiwan and engage in "meaningful dialogue" with Taiwan's democratically elected government.

The Chinese fishing vessel "Min Fu Ding Yu 07902" appeared in the eastern waters of Taiwan in mid-August this year, with a Chinese Coast Guard ship and a scientific research vessel nearby. This is the first known case of a Chinese maritime militia ship appearing in waters east of Taiwan.

The report mentioned that since June this year, China has continued to increase its activities in the waters east of Taiwan, including regular patrols by coast guard ships. Taiwanese officials assess that China may use military, paramilitary and civilian vessels to coordinate operations to rehearse a potential naval blockade. The waters east of Taiwan are also an important route for allies to transport supplies during wartime. Once blocked, it may affect the flow of foreign aid into Taiwan.

A spokesman for the U.S. State Department pointed out that China's attempt to assert rights over waters that Taiwan has peacefully administered for more than 70 years will only increase tensions and undermine the possibility of peaceful resolution of the dispute. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not responded to relevant inquiries as of the time the Reuters report was published.

The report quoted Taiwan's Coast Guard as saying that the vessel involved and its accompanying vessels were outside our "restricted waters" when operating, and the coast patrol unit continues to monitor relevant developments.

Reuters pointed out that China’s maritime militia usually consists of fishing boats, and its crews receive training and support. They often operate together with Chinese coast guard ships and appear in disputed waters. In June this year, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States also expressed concerns about China's activities in waters east of Taiwan.