US commission warns China’s east Taiwan coast guard patrols threaten regional stability

Speaking at a Taipei forum, Randall Schriver, chair of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, warned that China’s regular coast guard patrols east of Taiwan represent a highly destabilising extension of its sovereignty claim and legal warfare. Taiwan’s officials, including National Security Council secretary-general Joseph Wu, dismissed Beijing’s assertion that the waters are Chinese, calling the patrols a rehearsal for a possible maritime blockade.

The Chinese foreign ministry reiterated its stance that the area is within China’s jurisdiction and therefore lawful for its activities. Later, Taiwan’s defence ministry reported a joint combat-readiness patrol near the island involving 27 Chinese aircraft, among them nuclear-capable H-6 bombers. Schriver highlighted that President Donald Trump has not yet approved a new US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan, though he praised Trump’s overall record on arms sales. He expects progress after upcoming US-China leader meetings, suggesting the package might be split or restructured through direct commercial sales or foreign military sales, with continued congressional and bureaucratic support.