China's government said on Wednesday that its coast guard was 'safeguarding order' around a tiny and strategically located Taiwan-controlled atoll at the top end of the South China Sea, where Taipei fears Beijing is trying to enforce jurisdiction, Reuters reported.

Source: Reuters

Baird Maritime, in its own report on Wednesday, carried the same statements from Beijing and noted that Taiwan has reported two incidents since Sunday of Chinese coast guard vessels approaching the Pratas, accusing Beijing of provocative behaviour.

Source: Baird Maritime

Speaking at a regular news briefing, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Zhang Han, said Beijing has 'indisputable sovereignty' over the South China Sea islands, including the Pratas and their adjacent waters, Reuters said. 'Mainland coast guard vessels conducting law enforcement patrols in the relevant waters are fulfilling their duties in accordance with the law, safeguarding normal navigation and operational order,' Zhang said.

Water-cannon incident behind the dispute

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, said last week that Taiwan must 'bear the consequences' of its coast guard using a water cannon against a Chinese fishing boat near the Pratas Islands, Reuters reported. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's territorial claims, saying only the Taiwanese people can decide their future.

The Pratas have no permanent civilian population and lie roughly between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong — more than 400 km (250 miles) from Taiwan. Security experts cited by Reuters see them as vulnerable due to that distance. China recognises no claims of sovereignty by Taiwan and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control, Reuters said.