US opposes actions disrupting freedom of navigation in Taiwan Strait

Taipei: The US Department of State has said it opposes any actions that interfere with freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait, following China's announcement last week that it would introduce traffic restrictions for vessels in the waterway due to Typhoon Dolphin, according to a report by Taipei Times.

The Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration announced last week that traffic controls would be imposed on vessels travelling north through the Taiwan Strait because of Typhoon Dolphin. The administration instructed all vessels to comply with the measures, seek safe shelter from the storm and follow directions issued by maritime authorities to ensure safety at sea, Taipei Times reported.

A US Department of State spokesperson said Washington opposes any actions that interfere with the freedoms of navigation and overflight on the high seas that apply to the Taiwan Strait.


The spokesperson's remarks came amid a dispute over China's authority to impose traffic controls in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said on Friday last week that the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway and that China does not have the authority to impose such restrictions.

The CGA referred to the principle of freedom of navigation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in making its position clear.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) also criticised Beijing's move, accusing China of violating international norms by attempting to assert control over the waters "under the pretext of a typhoon."

The dispute comes after the China Coast Guard announced late last month that it had begun conducting regular law-enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan. The US Department of State had expressed concern over those activities at the time, according to Taipei Times.

The department said Taiwan had peacefully administered the waters for more than seven decades and warned that China's claim of jurisdiction over the area could further increase tensions.

Washington also urged Beijing to stop exerting pressure on Taiwan.

Beijing, meanwhile, has said that its operations were initiated in response to maritime boundary negotiations between Japan and the Philippines. China claims that the negotiations infringe upon its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, as cited by Taipei Times.

In response to Chinese maritime activities, Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration has regularly deployed patrol vessels to monitor Chinese ships and has instructed them to leave when they enter waters under Taiwan's restrictions.