Taiwan's Port Authority Condemns China's Traffic Control in Taiwan Strait During Typhoon Bailu: 'Pretended Enforcement, Real Power Expansion'

Typhoon Bailu has gradually moved away from the waters surrounding Taiwan. In response to the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration of China announcing traffic control for vessels traveling northward through the southern entrance of the Taiwan Strait, citing typhoon impacts, Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Port Authority issued a condemnation today (10th). The Port Authority emphasized that it immediately disseminated navigational warnings via coastal radio stations and other channels upon learning of the announcement, and stressed that under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), China holds no form of control or jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait region. It urged vessels in surrounding waters to disregard China's maritime traffic control requests and independently plan safe routes to avoid risks.

The Port Authority stated that prior to the issuance of the marine typhoon warning, it had already broadcast disaster prevention alerts to vessels in surrounding waters through press releases, coastal radio, and the Automatic Identification System (AIS). On August 6, it proactively initiated clearance control measures in the 12-nautical-mile coastal warning zone. It called on vessels transiting the warning zones near northern and eastern Taiwan to leave the 12-nautical-mile coastal warning area to avoid the storm and coordinated with the Coast Guard Administration to carry out necessary evacuation operations. It also clearly informed vessels that remained in the warning zones that they would be prohibited from entering Taiwan's commercial ports under the Port Act. As a result, no maritime incidents occurred during Typhoon Bailu's passage near Taiwan's waters, successfully safeguarding the safety of vessel navigation.

The Port Authority further emphasized that the Republic of China is the legally recognized 'coastal state' under UNCLOS with sovereign rights over the waters surrounding Taiwan, and thus holds the authority to implement maritime traffic control measures for vessels in the region. The Taiwan Strait is an international waterway, and according to international norms such as UNCLOS, the principle of freedom of navigation on the high seas applies beyond territorial seas. Therefore, China has no right to impose traffic control on foreign and Taiwan's vessels in these waters.

The Port Authority also strongly condemned China's inappropriate actions of using typhoon disaster prevention as a pretext to carry out 'pretended enforcement, real power expansion, and real harassment.'