A schematic map of the special maritime traffic law enforcement and hydrographic survey operation in waters east of Taiwan island. Photo: Xinhua News Agency, courtesy of the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration

A special maritime traffic law enforcement and hydrographic survey operation carried out by China's Ministry of Transport in waters east of Taiwan island concluded successfully on Wednesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.  

From June 6 to 10, China's Ministry of Transport organized multiple departments, including the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration (MSA), the Guangdong MSA, the Eastern Navigation Service Center of China's Maritime Safety Administration and the East China Sea Rescue Bureau, to jointly carry out a special maritime traffic law enforcement and hydrographic survey operation in waters east of Taiwan island, conducting maritime patrols, law enforcement activities and surveys in key waters, Xinhua reported. 

The operation was a necessary move taken in response to Japan and the Philippines' unilateral announcement that they would launch "maritime delimitation talks" over waters east of China's Taiwan island, which seriously infringes on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, per Xinhua. 

According to a readout of an earlier press conference released on May 29 from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, on May 28, during the Philippine President's visit to Japan, the two countries issued a joint statement announcing the start of talks on the delimitation of exclusive economic zone and continental shelf between Japan and the Philippines. 

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the area the two countries announced they will delimit is east of China's Taiwan island. According to China's domestic law and international law including UNCLOS, China has exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in this area. 

Mao said that Japan and the Philippines' so-called maritime delimitation talks constitute a severe violation of China's maritime rights and interests, UNCLOS and other international law and basic norms governing international relations. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes that and has lodged serious protests with both countries. 

The so-called delimitation talks are completely illegal, null and void, and will have no effect on China's claims to rights in the area east of the Taiwan island or exercise of China's lawful rights. China urges Japan and the Philippines to immediately stop any violation of China's maritime rights and interests and take concrete actions to uphold regional peace and stability, Mao said, according to the readout. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated the above position on June 2 and June 9. The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council also reaffirmed the position at its Wednesday press conference.

The special maritime traffic law enforcement and hydrographic survey operation carried out in waters east of Taiwan island involves China's 10,000-ton-class maritime patrol vessel Haixun 09, the large patrol and rescue vessel Haixun 06 operating in the Taiwan Straits, the specialized hydrographic survey vessel Haixun 08 and the specialized rescue vessel Donghai Jiu 113 jointly carried out the operation. They checked passing vessels, reminded vessels to comply with navigation rules, investigated and dealt with various maritime violations, and maintained navigation order, Xinhua reported. 

The vessels also inspected ship navigation aids, checked the identification code information of passing vessels, and carried out survey operations in waters east of Taiwan island. Maritime law enforcement personnel conducted patrol inspections of key anchorage areas, offshore construction operation areas, high-risk warning areas for collisions between merchant and fishing vessels, and waters where submarine cables and optical cables are laid.

The operation covered a total voyage of 1,030 nautical miles and a total survey distance of 1,025 nautical miles. It carried out 198 checks on passing vessels, corrected violations by three vessels, strengthened China's patrol law enforcement and traffic management capabilities in waters east of Taiwan island, and further improved the level of maritime traffic safety support, according to Xinhua. 

Global Times