In response to the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) statement that “on September 3, a China Coast Guard flotilla led by the Putuoshan conducted a routine law-enforcement patrol in waters east of China’s Taiwan Island in accordance with the law,” the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (CGA) has deployed the CGAS Ji An and other vessels to monitor the CCG vessels throughout their operations. The CGA firmly rejects China’s cognitive warfare campaign of “law enforcement in name, jurisdictional expansion in practice,” and states the following:

1. Through joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, the CGA has maintained continuous awareness of the movements of two CCG vessels, CCGS 1306 Putuoshan and CCGS 2502 Daishan. At approximately 11:00 a.m. today (September 3), the two CCG vessels were loitering and drifting approximately 105 nautical miles and 74 nautical miles east of Green Island, respectively. The CGA Ji An and other CGA vessels continue to closely monitor their activities.

2. The CGA emphasizes that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country, and that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. International law follows the principle that “the land dominates the sea.” Accordingly, Taiwan possesses sovereign rights and jurisdiction within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off eastern Taiwan. China has no jurisdiction whatsoever over Taiwan’s surrounding waters.

China has sought to harass Taiwan through maritime activities while maliciously engaging in political manipulation by disseminating false narratives such as referring to Taiwan as “China’s Taiwan Island” and characterizing its activities as “law-enforcement patrols.” Such claims not only run counter to reality but also cannot alter these indisputable facts. The CGA strongly condemns these actions.

The CGA will continue to take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and ensure the security of Taiwan’s waters.