The Fujian Coast Guard organizes a flotilla and conducts a law enforcement patrol in waters near Kinmen on February 25, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of the China Coast Guard

After the China Coast Guard (CCG) released a photo on Sunday showing mainland cutters sailing close to boats from the island of Taiwan, with Kinmen island in visual range, Chinese military experts pointed out that the photo, together with a previous one showing the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) holding drills in the waters around the island of Taiwan on August 5, 2022, demonstrated that Chinese mainland has made firm and swift response to the provocative actions of "Taiwan independence," with everything happening in the waters around Taiwan island under control.

According to the CCG, the coast guard of East China's Fujian Province on Sunday organized a flotilla and conducted a law enforcement patrol in waters near Kinmen. During the patrol, the coast guard vessels took measures including maneuvering-in-formation, identification and verification, providing escorts to fishing vessels, as well as verbal warnings, strengthened law enforcement patrols in key waters, effectively safeguarded working order in related regions and pragmatically safeguarded the safety of fishermen's lives and property, the CCG said.

According to the photo attached to the CCG press release, mainland cutters sailed close to boats from the island of Taiwan, with Kinmen island in visual range. An anonymous professional told the Global Times on Monday that from the CCG's press release and image, it can be analyzed that the CCG's law enforcement patrol on Sunday crossed the so-called prohibited or restricted waters near Kinmen.

The mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said on February 17 that fishermen from across the Taiwan Straits have traditionally operated in the waters of Xiamen and Kinmen, and that there is no such thing as "prohibition or restriction of waters."

"The term 'law enforcement' means enforcing domestic laws, which is exercising jurisdiction in the waters near Kinmen, meaning that China has sovereignty over that area," said the professional.

Taiwan authorities brutally assaulted a mainland fishing boat in the region on February 14, which led to the death of two crew members. Another two surviving fishermen returned to the Chinese mainland on Tuesday. As of today, the Taiwan side has yet to give a clear and definite explanation to compatriots on both sides of the Straits.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese naval expert, told the Global Times on Monday that the law enforcement patrols conducted by the coast guard near Kinmen are highly targeted, breaking through the so-called prohibition or restriction of waters claimed by the Taiwan authorities. This is a "first time" and also a serious warning to the Taiwan authorities. "Kinmen is Chinese territory, and the waters near Kinmen are under Chinese jurisdiction, so law enforcement patrols within the country are carried out by the coast guard," Zhang said.

A soldier looks through binoculars during combat exercises and training of the navy of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the waters around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 5, 2022. The Eastern Theater Command on Friday continued joint combat exercises and training in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. Photo:Xinhua

In August 2022, a similar photo also showed deterrent and warning to the Taiwan authorities. The PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted realistic combat-scenario joint exercises in sea and air space to the north, southwest and east of the island of Taiwan, focusing on testing the troops' land attack and sea assault capabilities under systemic support in early August, 2022, in response to the then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting the Taiwan island, which seriously violated China's sovereignty.

A photo released by the Xinhua News Agency showed that a soldier was looking through binoculars during combat exercises and training of the navy of the Eastern Theater Command of the PLA in the waters around the Taiwan Island on August 5, 2022, and the photo was described by Chinese netizens as "the PLA Navy is almost sticking to the coastline of the island."

Experts believe that although the two photos occurred at different times and circumstances, with different protagonists and targets, they have three commonalities. Firstly, the connotations released by the two photos are the same. "The two photos show that Chinese mainland can make firm and rapid response to the provocative actions of 'Taiwan independence,' and all situations in the waters around Taiwan are under control."

Zhang pointed out that secondly, the two photos both showed breakthroughs. The law enforcement patrol of the Fujian Coast Guard entered the so-called prohibited and restricted waters, while the PLA conducted exercises in the sea and air space around Taiwan island, breaking the so-called middle line claimed by the Taiwan authorities.

Thirdly, the two actions represented by the photos are both countermeasures against the Taiwan authorities as well as stern warnings, the expert added. The action of the Fujian Coast Guard on Sunday was aimed at the Democratic Progressive Party's brutal treatment of mainland fishermen and escalating cross-Straits confrontation, which harmed the emotions of people on both sides of the Straits; in August 2022, the military exercises of the PLA were a warning to the "Taiwan independence" forces and external forces.

The two photos reflect the same will and determination. "Chinese mainland is firmly upholding national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. Taiwan's separation from the motherland will never be allowed, and the mainland will take all necessary measures to firmly uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Zhang emphasized.