By Yimou Lee, Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina
TAIPEI/WASHINGTON June 24 (Reuters) - The United States, Britain, France and Germany raised the alarm on Wednesday over recent Chinese activities off the east coast of Taiwan, where China has mounted Coast Guard patrols, saying they threaten regional stability and freedom of navigation.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, sent Coast Guard ships earlier in June into the waters off the island's east coast for what it called a "special maritime traffic law-enforcement operation," angering Taipei.
China said the operation was in response to an announcement by Japan and the Philippines that they would begin formal talks on their maritime boundaries, which Beijing viewed as involving Chinese waters off Taiwan.
China has also been sending maritime survey ships into the same waters.
"China's actions are deeply destabilizing," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said regarding reports that Chinese Coast Guard vessels were harassing commercial ships.
"We reject any assertion by China of authority to interfere with freedoms of navigation or overflight, the freedom to lay cables, or other lawful uses of the sea," the U.S. official said, adding that Beijing was undermining the peaceful resolution of issues that it claims to seek.
The de facto British, French and German embassies in Taipei said in a separate but rare joint statement that the Chinese activity was concerning.
"These actions threaten regional stability and the freedom of navigation and safety of international shipping. We reiterate our opposition to any unilateral change to the status quo, particularly by threat or use of force or coercion," they said.
"It is fundamental that all navigational rights and freedoms and the safety of seafarers and vessels are guaranteed and respected."
China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S., Britain, France and Germany, like most countries, have no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. But like many Western countries, they have repeatedly voiced concern at Chinese pressure against Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.
Taiwan says the waters off its east coast are not China's and that Beijing has no right to claim any sort of jurisdiction.
China said the Coast Guard patrol had inspected 198 passing vessels and "rectified violations" involving three ships, carried out a hydrographic survey and patrolled areas where undersea cables are located.
Taiwan has said that three passing merchant ships in the area were "harassed" by the Chinese Coast Guard, which asked them for information about their points of origin and destination and claimed jurisdiction.
Speaking to reporters in Beijing earlier on Wednesday, Zhang Han, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said the waters Japan and the Philippines were seeking to delineate were China's exclusive economic zone.
She said the patrols were lawful, legitimate and necessary and that they constituted a just action to "safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests."
AnyStrength4863 on June 24th, 2026 at 14:19 UTC »
The situation is simple: nobody cares what happens to Taiwanese fishermen in these waters, which they have depended on for their livelihood for decades. These waters were originally under the de facto control of Taiwan, tacitly approved by the Chinese authorities. Chinese mainland fishermen neither fished there nor conducted any scientific research in the area before all this.
A few weeks ago, Japan and the Philippines proposed the delimitation of the maritime boundaries, which the Taiwanese authorities said they were aware of. Then the news came in, and the Taiwanese authorities were forced to intervene, given the growing protests from the Taiwanese people. Meanwhile, the PRC made their move.
Europe's statements simply mean that, in any case, they do not want these territorial waters to belong to any one of China. Otherwise, they should condemn those who initially attempted to harm ROC fishermen. Yes, this is not the first time Japan or the Philippines have harmed the Taiwanese fishermen. That is why the Taiwanese public reacted so strongly.
adun-d on June 24th, 2026 at 11:03 UTC »
It almost like the Chinese are getting bolder, as if the so called mightiest military was stumped by a regional power. I wonder... I mean, there is no way a US president would make themselves appear so weak at the world's stage, right?
yahoonews on June 24th, 2026 at 10:10 UTC »
Reuters reports - Britain, France and Germany raised the alarm on Wednesday over recent Chinese activities off the east coast of Taiwan, where China has mounted coast guard patrols, saying they threaten regional stability and freedom of navigation.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, earlier in June sent coast guard ships into the waters off the island's east coast for what it called a "special maritime traffic law-enforcement operation", angering Taipei.
China said the operation was in response to an announcement by Japan and the Philippines that they would begin formal talks on their maritime boundaries, which Beijing viewed as involving Chinese waters off Taiwan.
China has also been sending maritime survey ships into the same waters.
"We have noted with concern novel Chinese activity in the waters east of Taiwan," the de facto British, French and German embassies in Taipei said in a rare joint statement.
"These actions threaten regional stability and the freedom of navigation and safety of international shipping. We reiterate our opposition to any unilateral change to the status quo, particularly by threat or use of force or coercion," they said.