China Presses Taiwan by Querying Foreign Ships for First Time
Bloomberg.com • • world
Key Points:
- China deployed maritime agency ships on a multi-day patrol east of Taiwan, marking a new tactic to assert its territorial claims in the area.
- For the first time, Chinese vessels radioed three foreign commercial ships—flagged in Singapore, Liberia, and Benin—inquiring about their ports of departure, destination, and crew numbers.
- Taiwan’s Coast Guard reported the incident, highlighting China’s use of what it terms “special maritime traffic law enforcement” since Saturday.
- This move reflects Beijing’s ongoing efforts to reinforce its sovereignty claims over the self-ruled island of Taiwan.