China’s Foreign Ministry said the Japan–Philippines announcement to start
maritime boundary talks concerns waters east of Taiwan, where China asserts EEZ
and continental-shelf rights under Chinese law and UNCLOS. Ministry spokesperson
Mao Ning said delimitation between opposite or adjacent states must be agreed by
the states concerned and that any talks on waters east of Taiwan require China’s
participation; she called Japan and the Philippines’ decision to begin talks
without China a serious violation of UNCLOS and international norms that
infringes China’s maritime rights and said China will not allow it. Taiwan’s
foreign affairs authority had said it welcomed the talks and questioned mainland
sovereignty over the area.
