Routine survey asserts resolute jurisdiction east of Taiwan Island

Editor's note: Ding Duo, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is the director of the Center for International and Regional Studies at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Recent moves by Japan and the Philippines to launch maritime boundary delimitation talks east of China's Taiwan region, deliberately excluding China, have drawn attention for their attempt to create unilateral faits accomplis. These talks risk undermining the established maritime order in a region where overlapping interests exist.  

In this context, China's Ministry of Natural Resources conducted its routine annual marine environmental survey in the same waters from June 16 to 18, a move that also serves as a direct response to the unilateral initiative.  

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states enjoy sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing natural resources in their exclusive economic zones, together with jurisdiction over marine scientific research and the protection and preservation of the marine environment. China's Law on the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental Shelf gives domestic legal effect to these provisions.  

The waters east of Taiwan Island fall within the maritime zones over which China asserts these rights. The recent survey therefore constitutes a straightforward exercise of jurisdiction rather than any novel assertion. In contrast, unilateral delimitation efforts by other parties lack legal force when they proceed without the consent of all directly concerned states. International law requires that maritime boundaries be established by agreement, not by one-sided declarations or negotiations that ignore the positions of other coastal states.  

China's survey does not alter any potential boundary questions; it simply affirms the coastal state's ongoing authority to manage activities within its claimed zones.

This legal foundation is reinforced by the practical demands of environmental governance. Coastal states bear a general obligation under international law to protect and preserve the marine environment. Routine monitoring and data collection are essential tools for fulfilling that duty.  

China has long pursued an integrated approach to marine ecological protection, emphasizing evidence-based management and the prevention of degradation. The June survey contributes directly to this framework by updating baseline information on environmental conditions. Such work supports the identification of ecological sensitivities, the setting of protection priorities and the evaluation of cumulative impacts from various human activities.  

In a region where maritime tensions occasionally arise, consistent environmental governance demonstrates responsible stewardship rather than confrontation. It shows that China treats the ocean not merely as a space for rights claims but as an ecosystem requiring active care and long-term planning.

The scientific dimension of the survey adds particular value. For the first time, the operation included detailed investigations into bird populations and cetacean species alongside traditional oceanographic measurements.  

Birds and marine mammals serve as sensitive indicators of ecosystem health in pelagic waters. Shifts in their distribution, abundance or behavior can signal changes in prey availability, water temperature, pollution levels or broader climate influences. Collecting high-resolution data on these groups fills important knowledge gaps in an area where comprehensive biological surveys have historically been limited.  

The resulting datasets will enable more accurate assessments of biodiversity status and ecosystem connectivity. They will also inform models that predict how environmental pressures may evolve, allowing policymakers to anticipate rather than merely react to challenges.

These scientific outputs feed directly into advanced marine spatial planning. Future frameworks for ocean space use increasingly recognize the need for three-dimensional, layered approaches that differentiate rights and management measures across surface waters, the water column and the seabed.  

Data on birds and cetaceans help define vertical zoning parameters: For instance, identifying depths where sensitive species concentrate so that shipping lanes, fishing grounds or conservation areas can be delineated with greater precision. Such planning reduces conflicts between uses, safeguards ecological functions and supports sustainable development.  

By generating the necessary evidence base, the survey strengthens China's capacity to implement these layered systems in a manner that is both scientifically sound and administratively effective. This represents a clear progression from abstract legal rights to operational governance tools.

Taken together, the legal, environmental and scientific elements of the survey illustrate a coherent strategy. China is not content merely to restate its positions; it is steadily embedding them in concrete administrative practice. Each survey cycle, each new dataset and each refined management measure add substance to China's jurisdiction.

This methodical approach counters attempts to portray the waters east of Taiwan Island as an unregulated or disputed area open to unilateral rearrangement. Effective, science-driven governance on the ground makes it harder for others to dismiss China's rights as theoretical.

China will sustain its response to the unilateral delimitation initiative through a balanced set of complementary measures. Special arrangements will be put in place to cover maritime traffic regulation, continued environmental monitoring, fisheries management and coast guard enforcement. These tools will operate in coordinated fashion, adjusting in rhythm and intensity according to practical needs.

The cumulative effect of these steps extends beyond immediate maritime management. In doing so, China also draws a clear line against any exploitation of these maritime issues for separatist purposes. They serve as a practical reminder that separatist attempts to detach Taiwan from the Chinese mainland have no prospect of success, and that any actions betraying the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation will meet resolute opposition.

Through persistent, law-based and science-supported measures, China continues to translate its legitimate rights into tangible reality while contributing to the stable and sustainable use of the ocean spaces under its jurisdiction. This steady course reflects both the requirements of international law and the long-term interests of regional peace and development.

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