(Adds Western concern over patrols; paragraph 12)
TAIPEI/BEIJING, July 31 (Reuters) – China’s coast guard conducted patrols it described as routine law enforcement in waters east of Taiwan on Friday, angering Taipei, which condemned the move as a political operation aimed at expanding Beijing’s control.
The Chinese activities off Taiwan’s Pacific coast have triggered concern from some Western countries, which have warned against any unilateral change to the status quo or actions that could raise tension in the Taiwan Strait.
In a statement, China’s coast guard said the patrols east of Taiwan were led by one of its ships, Xiushan, and it would continue to strengthen such efforts.
“Since July, the Xiushan task group had been strengthening control over the relevant waters to effectively ensure orderly navigation and activities,” its spokesperson, Jiang Lue, said.
The effort was safeguarding the legitimate and lawful rights and interests, as well as the lives and property of fishermen on both sides of the Strait, he added.
Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said a patrol ship, the Taipei, was among the vessels it sent to monitor the Chinese ships, and accused Beijing of engaging in “fake law enforcement, real expansion of power”.
Two Chinese coast guard vessels, the Xiushan and Chongming, were detected on Friday, it said.
One drifted about 151 nautical miles east of Lanyu, also known as Orchid Island, and the other about 43 nautical miles to the island’s northeast, it said, adding that Taiwan vessels were monitoring them.
It vowed to “take all necessary measures to defend national sovereignty” and ensure the security of Taiwan’s waters.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, despite Taipei’s rejection of Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Taiwan says only its people can decide their future.
China has stepped up military and coast guard activity around Taiwan, including operations to the island’s east, on its Pacific side, an area Taiwan sees as vital for wartime supply lines from allies.
China started the eastern patrols early in June, in response to maritime border talks between Japan and the Philippines, drawing concern from countries such as Britain, France, Germany and the United States.
This week, the United States’ de facto embassy in Taiwan made a rare public disclosure of coordination between their coast guards.
It released a picture of a Taiwan coast guard vessel sailing in formation with the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Midgett at an unspecified location.
(Reporting by Liz Lee in Beijing and Yimou Lee in Taipei; Editing by Tom Hogue and Clarence Fernandez)
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