China holds âspecial operationâ near Taiwan after Japan-Philippines sea border talks
China held a âlaw enforcement operationâ in waters east of Taiwan following recent talks between Japan and the Philippines to draw a boundary there, state
China held a âlaw enforcement operationâ in waters east of Taiwan following recent talks between Japan and the Philippines to draw a boundary there, state media reported on Saturday (June 6, 2026). China calls Japan-Philippines sea border talks âillegalâ Tokyo and Manila said last month they would start formal talks âto delimit the maritime boundaryâ of an economic zone and continental shelf between them, angering Beijing. China, which asserts Taiwan is part of its territory, called the talks âillegalâ and has claimed exclusive control over the waters concerned.
On Saturday (June 6, 2026), Beijingâs Transport Ministry organised maritime police from coastal provinces Fujian and Guangdong to âconduct a special maritime traffic law enforcement operation in waters east of Taiwan Islandâ, state news agency Xinhua said. The report did not give details on the operation, including how long it lasted or whether it was still ongoing, and it did not say whether maritime police dispatched ships to the area.
The operation was âa necessary action taken against Japan and the Philippinesâ unilateral announcement they would start ânegotiations on delimiting a maritime boundaryââ near Taiwan, Xinhua added. Taiwan said on Wednesday (June 3, 2026) it should be consulted on the Japan-Philippines talks. Manila and Tokyoâs shared grievances over Chinese maritime territorial claims have seen them draw increasingly close in recent years. Japan and China are in territorial and economic disputes in the East China Sea, where coast guard ships from both sides routinely stage tense standoffs.
Beijing has meanwhile deployed navy and coast guard vessels in the South China Sea, in a bid to bar the Philippines from strategically important reefs and islands, leading to a string of confrontations.
The BriefWire