UK, Germany and France express concern over Chinese actions east of Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Great Britain, France and Germany on Wednesday issued a rare joint statement expressing alarm over Chinese activities east of the self-ruled island of Taiwan, where China earlier this month deployed coast guard patrols.

The de-facto embassies of the three European nations in the Taiwanese capital Taipei said the “novel Chinese activity,” which was not specifically identified, endangered regional stability.

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to annex the island, called the maneuvers earlier this month a “maritime traffic enforcement and hydrographic survey operation.”

Chinese state media said the activities were “sending a pointed warning” to Japan and the Philippines over an announcement that the countries would discuss their maritime boundaries in waters that Beijing views as its own.

China on Tuesday also sailed its newest and most powerful aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait, the body of water separating China from Taiwan, just hours after Taiwan began a five-day military exercise to practice its response to a possible Chinese attack.

“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,” the statement said.

The offices also called for navigational rights and freedoms and respect for the safety of all seafarers.

China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China has increased pressure on Taiwan in recent years by sending military vessels and aircraft near the island almost daily and occasionally organizing live-fire drills.

Beijing’s tensions with Tokyo also have increased since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last year suggested the country’s military could get involved if China takes action against Taiwan.

Taiwan’s ongoing military drills are aimed at boosting the island’s combat readiness in case of a Chinese military attack. The exercises are meant to test how rapidly military units can deploy, especially in the face of a possible sudden escalation of Chinese grey-zone warfare, the island’s Defense Ministry said.

Grey-zone tactics refer to a range of aggressive tactics varying from navy ship patrols to drone flights but fall short of direct combat.

Taiwan said earlier this month that Chinese coast guard ships were harassing commercial vessels near Taiwan by asking them to report their intended routes.