On July 4 the China Coast Guard conducted law-enforcement patrols in waters east
of Taiwan, using the term 'routine' in its report for the first time compared
with last month. Marine expert Yang Xiao said 'routine' denotes continuous
enforcement operations intended to assert sovereignty. The coast guard has
implemented regular patrols of the Diaoyu Islands and affiliated islets and
routine enforcement around Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal). The agency said
it logged 357 days of patrols around the Diaoyu Islands in 2025, which China
says demonstrates its undisputed sovereignty over the islands and their
territorial waters.
