TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – New regulations that would allow the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) to board vessels and detain foreign citizens accused of trespassing are in violation of international law, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Friday (June 14).

The new measure, known as Regulation No. 3, which will bring a 2021 law governing the CCG into force, will take effect on Saturday (June 15). Other countries involved in maritime sovereignty disputes with China, including the Philippines, have also voiced concern about Beijing’s move.

The unilateral implementation of the Chinese law violates regional peace and stability, MOFA said in a statement Friday. Not only will the measure raise regional tensions, but it will also affect the security of regional commercial shipping and fishing activities, according to MOFA.

The ministry said it would closely monitor developments, and condemned China’s lack of respect for relevant international laws and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Under the guise of maintaining maritime order, China continues to increase its military threats against other nations in the region.

MOFA said that Taiwan will continue to safeguard the security of foreign ships and crews passing through its waters. The country will also continue to cooperate with regional allies and countries sharing the same values to handle the potential impact of the new measures, and to protect the rules-based international order.