Officials from the Biden administration have decided not to accept the vague claim that China’s recent repeats of the Taiwan Strait are not “international waters.” China’s stance has heightened concern that provocations to Taiwan may mean more at sea in the future. A person familiar with the situation revealed.
Bloomberg reported last week that China has repeatedly claimed that the Taiwan Strait is not an “international body of water” in a meeting with US officials in recent months. It strengthens the prospect that China may be preparing a new counter to US influence and military power in key areas where the US and China have different perceptions.
China repeatedly insists that it is not an international water area, restraining rice over the Taiwan Strait-related parties
China has long claimed that the Taiwan Strait is part of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), indicating that foreign warships’ activities in these waters will be restricted. China has regularly protested U.S. military movements in the strait, but so far the legal status of the body of water has not been on the regular agenda at meetings with U.S. officials. The timing of China’s new claims has been a factor in increasing vigilance within the US administration, partly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
President Biden has been briefed on the matter, according to people familiar with the matter, and the US administration’s security team is testing its allegations to understand what the Chinese side specifically intends to do. It is said that it is examining the wording that China has used for the Taiwan Strait over the past few decades and evaluating each interpretation among allies.
U.S. officials are worried about efforts to dare to confuse the legal interpretation to suggest that China’s allegations consider the waters around Taiwan to be China’s waterways. It is said that the US side has already communicated this point to the Chinese side.
China’s intention in “international waters” is a mystery, but it may be intended to curb the passage of the US side through the Taiwan Strait. It is not clear whether China will take concrete actions to strengthen its stance, officials said.
We asked the White House and the Chinese Embassy in Washington for comment, but so far no reply.
news-rsf-original-reference paywall">Original title:
news-rsf-original-reference paywall">US Rejects China’s Claims Over Taiwan Strait as Concerns Grow（抜粋）
