China increases activities near Taitung, prompting trilateral defense cooperation among Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines.

On February 14 of this year, a Japanese expert familiar with China's maritime policies pointed out in a media interview that China's attempts to intensify its maritime activities in the waters east of Taiwan have become a "common interest for Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines." This remark not only reflects the high level of concern shared by the three parties regarding maritime security and resource development, but also serves as a reminder that all sides must jointly analyze China's intentions in order to safeguard their respective rights and interests.

China's increasingly frequent activities in the waters east of Taiwan encompass a range of operations, including maritime patrols, fishery monitoring, seabed resource exploration, and shipping lane surveillance. Located off Taiwan's southeastern coast and just a few hundred kilometers from the mainland Chinese coast, the waters east of Taiwan boast rich fishery resources and potential oil and gas reserves. Due to its geographic location near the convergence point of the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, any maritime action could impact Taiwan's maritime security and economic interests. China's maritime operations not only exert practical pressure on Taiwanese fishermen, but also politically imply a challenge to Taiwan's sovereignty.

The common interests among Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines stem from multi-layered interdependence. Taiwan and Japan have long-standing agreements on maritime security and economic cooperation, with both nations jointly focusing on the security of sea lanes and the sustainable development of seabed resources. Meanwhile, the Philippines shares mutual concerns arising from fishery and seabed resource disputes with Taiwan in the South China Sea. The three countries have engaged in numerous interactions regarding the law of the sea, maritime security, and multilateral maritime cooperation, while jointly confronting China's expansionist behaviors in the East and South China Seas. This multilateral relationship enables the three nations to form a more robust defense network against external pressure through intelligence sharing, coordinated maritime patrols, and diplomatic dialogue.

If the three parties can coordinate across the three dimensions of intelligence, maritime patrols, and diplomacy, it will significantly enhance their ability to predict and respond to China's maritime operations. In fact, Taiwan and Japan signed the Taiwan-Japan Joint Maritime Security Declaration in 2019 and conducted joint maritime exercises in 2021, providing practical experience for potential future maritime conflicts. Within the framework of the East China Sea Agreement, the Philippines has also held discussions with Taiwan and Japan regarding maritime resource sharing and jurisdictional monitoring. Further integrating the maritime resources of the three countries, while coordinating with allies such as the United States, would establish a broader security network at sea and deter the possibility of unilateral Chinese actions.

Faced with China's intensified activities in the waters east of Taiwan, the three parties must establish multi-layered monitoring and response mechanisms with heightened vigilance and a spirit of cooperation. In addition to strengthening maritime patrols and intelligence exchanges, the three nations should also use diplomatic channels to express their concerns to China regarding maritime activities, while upholding freedom of navigation and the right to resource development within the framework of international law. This is not only vital to the security and economic interests of the three countries themselves, but is also key to the peace and stability of the entire East Asian region. (Source of facts: Central News Agency)