US Must Reject China’s Latest Maritime Power Grab

China’s designation of the Taiwan Strait and waters around Taiwan as ‘coastal waters’ is a maritime power grab that demands an immediate international response.

Kuang Hua VI-class missile boats take part in the spring military drills at the Tsoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung on Jan. 29, 2026. I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

On June 11, Beijing designated the Taiwan Strait and several areas around Taiwan—a segment of internal waters under international law—to be “coastal waters.” This represents an expansive maritime power grab that cannot be ignored. Articles 8–11 of the United Nation’s Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) gives coastal nations far more authority over their “Internal Waters” than over their territorial waters. Beijing’s declaration stated specifically that “the waters east of Taiwan are our coastal waters where we are present, exercise jurisdiction and govern.” The United States and international community must immediately reject that claim. Otherwise, Beijing will interpret the silence as tacit acceptance.