Beijing sends largest patrol ship east of Taiwan after Japan-Philippine boundary talks

China has deployed its largest patrol vessel to the waters east of Taiwan, a move seen as a direct response to recent maritime boundary negotiations between Japan and the Philippines. The Ministry of Transport's ships are scheduled to conduct joint patrols alongside a coastguard formation that was dispatched to the same waters last Monday.

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accused Japan and the Philippines of becoming “a source of trouble” and a risk to regional peace.

This action follows strong condemnation from Beijing regarding the boundary talks. The Communist Party mouthpiece, People's Daily, accused Japan and the Philippines of becoming "a source of trouble" and a risk to regional peace. China had previously denounced the negotiations, which aim to map out the maritime boundaries of their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves, as "illegal and invalid."

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denounced the boundary talks as “illegal and invalid”.

State news agency Xinhua described the latest patrol as a "necessary action in response to Japan and the Philippines unilaterally announcing the start of maritime boundary negotiations in the waters east of China’s Taiwan island, gravely infringing upon China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests." The talks between Japan and the Philippines could potentially overlap with Taiwan's own maritime claims, adding another layer of complexity to the regional tensions.

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a necessary action in response to Japan and the Philippines unilaterally announcing the start of maritime boundary negotiations in the waters east of China’s Taiwan island, gravely infringing upon China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.