[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Seoyul] It has been reported that China has repeatedly asserted to the United States in recent months that the Taiwan Strait, located between China and Taiwan, is not an international waterway.
On the 12th (local time), Bloomberg News, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that Chinese military officials have conveyed to the U.S. government on multiple occasions, at varying levels, the claim that the Taiwan Strait is not an international waterway. The Taiwan Strait is a strait connecting the East China Sea and the South China Sea between China and Taiwan, approximately 400 km in length and 150?200 km in width.
However, Bloomberg News stated that it is unclear whether this claim implies that China will take additional measures against the activities of foreign warships entering the Taiwan Strait.
China has long maintained the position that the Taiwan Strait is its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and therefore foreign warship activities in this area are restricted. The passage of foreign vessels through the Taiwan Strait is a sensitive issue for China, which regards Taiwan as its own territory under the "One China" principle, linking it to the Taiwan issue.
On the other hand, the United States has regularly sent warships through the South China Sea under "freedom of navigation" operations to challenge China's sovereignty claims.
Martin Meiners, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, when asked by Bloomberg News about the position on the Taiwan Strait issue, stated, "The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows," adding, "This includes transiting the Taiwan Strait."
The United States and China also publicly clashed over the Taiwan issue at the recent Asia Security Conference (Shangri-La Dialogue) held in Singapore.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pointed out on the 11th that provocative Chinese military activities near Taiwan have increased. Secretary Austin said, "China's coercion is increasing," and "We have witnessed an increase in provocative military activities near Taiwan."
The following day, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe countered, saying, "If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, China will fight to the end."
Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also stated at a regular briefing on the 13th, "Calling the Taiwan Strait an international waterway is intended to manipulate the Taiwan issue and create a pretext to threaten China's sovereignty and security," adding, "China firmly opposes this."
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