TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China has stepped up maritime and military activity in the South China Sea and waters near Taiwan as Beijing seeks to counter growing security cooperation between Japan and the Philippines, two countries that could deter China's aspirations to take Taipei, per Nikkei Asia.
China's People’s Liberation Army recently deployed bombers, fighter jets, early warning aircraft, and naval vessels for patrols around Scarborough Shoal, a disputed area claimed by the Philippines and China.
The China coast guard also sent a 3,000-tonne patrol vessel to the area, warning a Philippine ship that it had entered what Beijing calls the contiguous zone of Huangyan Island, per CNA.
The moves followed a Japan-Philippines agreement to begin talks on demarcating their exclusive economic zones, which include waters east of Taiwan. Beijing, which erroneously claims sovereignty over Taiwan and the surrounding waters, criticized the agreement for excluding China.
Analysts said China’s actions are not only related to maritime disputes but also reflect concerns that Japan and the Philippines could support the US in the event of a Taiwan crisis.
Japan’s westernmost island of Yonaguni is about 110 km from Taiwan, while the northern Philippines is also located near Taiwan’s southern waters, giving both countries strategic importance in a potential conflict.
Western diplomatic sources quoted by the Nikkei Asia report describe China’s approach to Japan and the Philippines as “doghouse diplomacy,” a strategy of isolating and punishing countries it dislikes. At the same time, China is seeking to manage maritime disputes in Southeast Asia through bilateral talks with countries including Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Masafumi Iida said regional countries need to strengthen defense cooperation to respond to China’s growing military presence, per Nikkei Asia.