Chinese warship claims Taiwan’s contiguous zone ‘doesn’t exist’

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Audio of an exchange between Chinese and Taiwanese warships during an encounter on Monday (April 10) revealed that when a Taiwan Navy frigate called on a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) frigate to avoid Taiwan’s contiguous zone, the Chinese ship claimed that the area “doesn’t exist.”

Chinese state-run media on Sunday (April 9) posted a video on Weibo that was allegedly filmed that morning in the waters off the east coast of Taiwan. It described the footage as showing the PLAN frigate Xuzhou (徐州艦, 530) conducting “tactical operations” at a distance of about five nautical miles from the Taiwanese Chi Yang-class frigate the Yi Yang (宜陽艦, FFG-939).

On Monday (April 10), TVBS released audio of radio communications which it claimed had been taken from an encounter between the Xuzhou, Yi Yang, and Coast Guard Administration ship Hualien (花蓮艦, C119). It reportedly occurred off the east coast at around 11 a.m. on Monday as the Chinese headed toward Taiwan’s contiguous zone, which extends 24 nautical miles (44.4 km) from the coast.

The Yi Yang can first be heard warning the Xuzhou that its actions have “seriously damaged the peace, stability, and security of the Taiwan Strait region. Do not create trouble and increase the security risk.” The Taiwanese frigate then warned the Chinese that, “If you insist on entering our 24-nautical mile contiguous zone, I will be forced to take action to evict you.”

The Xuzhou reportedly responded by declaring, “The 24-nautical mile contiguous zone does not exist. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.” It then claimed that “It is (those who seek) Taiwan independence who undermine cross-strait peace and stability.”

The Yi Yang tried to deescalate the situation by saying, “We seek peace and stability. Our country does not pursue military confrontation, and seeks peace and stability.” The Xuzhou then angrily retorted, “The People’s Republic of China is the sole legal representative of the whole of China.”

The final radio message audible in the recording is the Hualien announcing “This is a broadcast from Hualien ship C119.”

After President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) landmark meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, China retaliated by launching the three-day “Joint Sword” exercises around Taiwan from Saturday to Monday (April 8-10). The Navy also reportedly engaged in multiple standoffs with PLAN warships during this period, with as many as 20 vessels involved on Sunday.