China defended its recent coast guard patrols east of Taiwan, saying the operations were necessary to protect its maritime rights after Japan and the Philippines announced boundary discussions.
The dispute comes amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan has accused Chinese vessels of harassing commercial shipping and China recently sending its newest aircraft carrier through the area.
China on Thursday rejected criticism from European governments over its recent maritime activity near Taiwan, saying coast guard patrols in waters east of the island were lawful and necessary to protect its territorial and maritime interests.
The response came a day after the European governments expressed concern over what they described as “novel Chinese activity” near Taiwan, although they did not specify the exact actions they were referring to.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, the patrols were aimed at safeguarding maritime order and maintaining stability in the region.
Beijing said it deployed coast guard vessels following an announcement by Japan and the Philippines that they would hold discussions on maritime boundaries in waters China claims as its own.
“These are necessary actions in response to Japan’s and the Philippines’ manipulation of maritime delimitation issues and infringement upon China’s maritime rights and interests,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said during a daily briefing.
A joint statement issued by the de facto embassies of Britain, France and Germany in Taiwan argued that China’s recent activity threatened regional stability, freedom of navigation and the safety of international shipping. Taiwan’s Central News Agency also reported that the United States had raised concerns.
Taiwan earlier this month accused Chinese coast guard vessels of harassing commercial ships near the island by requesting details of their intended routes.
The waters east of Taiwan are among Asia’s most strategically important maritime corridors, carrying oil, gas and commercial goods moving between the Middle East, Europe and major East Asian economies including China, Japan and South Korea.
Taiwan governs itself independently, but Beijing claims the island as part of its territory and asserts rights over surrounding waters.
Defending the operations, Guo said the coast guard deployments were “legitimate exercises of jurisdiction in accordance with the law.”
Relations between Beijing and Tokyo have remained tense since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested last year that Japan’s military could become involved if China launched military action against Taiwan.
Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive flashpoints in US-China relations. Washington is Taiwan’s primary arms supplier and maintains support for the island’s defence capabilities.
The latest tensions unfolded as China sailed its newest and most powerful aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait earlier this week, only hours after Taiwan launched a five-day military exercise designed to simulate a response to a potential Chinese attack.
