Beijing has completed a seabed survey in the complex waters east of Taiwan, its latest move to strengthen management of the waters around Taiwan following maritime border talks between Japan and the Philippines, according to state media.
It is the first time mainland Chinese maritime authorities have conducted hydrographic survey operations east of Taiwan to fill in previously incomplete seabed mapping data for the area, according to an article published on Wednesday by Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV.
Experts said Beijing’s efforts to strengthen management of the waters east of Taiwan aimed to thwart efforts by Washington, Tokyo and Manila to introduce a military presence in the area through talks that have drawn strong protests from Beijing. Analysts also warned that friction in the region could increase.
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The survey was part of the five-day mainland Chinese maritime law enforcement operation that ended on Wednesday. Beijing coordinated multiple agencies, from its coastguard, local maritime safety administrations, the East Sea Navigation Support Centre and the East China Sea Rescue Bureau, according to the article.
“It represents a strategic breakthrough in the mainland’s efforts to exercise effective jurisdiction over waters surrounding Taiwan,” the article said.
The move comes as Japan and the Philippines pursue formal negotiations to delimit their overlapping maritime boundaries and exclusive economic zones in the western Pacific, located east of Taiwan.