China puts the ‘squeeze’ on Taiwan with new maritime patrols

Taipei, Taiwan – China’s coastguard and civilian fleet are expanding their presence in the waters east of Taiwan, raising fears that Beijing may be rehearsing a containment strategy that would cut off the self-ruled island from outside trade and assistance.Through June and July, China’s Maritime Safety Administration and coastguard staged multiple patrols and “special maritime law enforcement operations”, according to official government announcements.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4England vs Norway: Key talking points ahead of World Cup quarterfinallist 2 of 4Bayeux Tapestry smuggled into Britain for first visit in 1,000 yearslist 3 of 4Administration without sovereignty will not free Palestinelist 4 of 4Bodies found in cars as deadly Spain wildfire kills at least 12end of listWhile China regularly patrols the Taiwan Strait – the waterway with an average width of about 180km (112 miles) separating coastal China from the main island of Taiwan – this marks the first time the patrols have moved east of Taiwan in such quick succession, according to analysts.K Tristan Tang, a nonresident fellow at the United States-based National Bureau of Asian Research, said the shift ...