DEFENSE/China's patrols in Taiwan-managed waters 'destabilizing': U.S.

Washington, Aug. 1 (CNA) The United States government has described as "deeply destabilizing" China's dispatch of coast guard vessels to waters east of Taiwan and called on Beijing to end its pressure campaign against Taiwan.

In China's latest provocation on Friday, the China Coast Guard said a formation led by the vessel "Xiushan" (秀山艦) had intensified patrols in waters east of Taiwan.

"Since July, the Xiushan task force has strengthened control over the relevant waters to effectively ensure orderly navigation and maritime activities," China Coast Guard spokesperson Jiang Lue (姜略) said.

The move was also aimed at "safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests, as well as the lives and property, of fishermen on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," Jiang said, without elaborating.

Asked by CNA to comment on China's latest announcement, a U.S. State Department spokesperson on Saturday reiterated Washington's concerns over China Coast Guard patrols near Taiwan.

"The United States remains concerned by Chinese Coast Guard activity east of Taiwan. China's actions are deeply destabilizing," the unnamed spokesperson said.

"By asserting authority over maritime areas that Taiwan has peacefully administered for over 70 years, China only exacerbates tensions and undermines the peaceful resolution of issues that it claims to seek."

"We urge Beijing to cease its pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan's democratically elected authorities," the spokesperson said.

China began in June to launch a series of "special maritime law enforcement operations" in waters east of Taiwan in response to what it called unilateral moves by Japan and the Philippines to begin bilateral talks on maritime boundary delimitation in the area.

China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory, said the talks seriously infringed on its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, though an international arbitral tribunal ruled in 2016 that China's maritime claims over the South China had no legal basis under international law.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said later Friday that it was closely monitoring Chinese coast guard patrols in waters east of Taiwan with the 4,000-tonne Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessel Taipei (CG5005).