Taiwan must 'bear the consequences' of water cannon incident, China says

China has accused Taiwan of bearing the consequences of its Coast Guard using a water cannon against a Chinese fishing boat near the Pratas Islands in the South China Sea. The incident occurred when Taiwan's Coast Guard fired its water cannon, claiming the boat had failed to respond to warnings to move away from restricted waters near the Taiwan-controlled islands.

The Chinese spokesperson, Chen Binhua, reiterated China's undisputed sovereignty over the Pratas Islands and surrounding waters, emphasizing that mainland vessels operating in the area are legal and justified. The Chinese spokesperson warned that Taiwan's treatment of mainland vessels in a dangerous manner that endangers the lives and property of personnel involved will result in all consequences arising from this situation.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's National Security Council deputy secretary-general, Lii Wen, acknowledged that China is increasing its grey zone tactics, which include using a wider range of ships to pressure the island, raising concerns about potential disruptions to transportation or damage to critical infrastructure.

Brief written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.