US Official Warns Chinese Patrols Destabilize Taiwan

Randall Schriver, chair of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, warned at a forum in Taipei that China's Coast Guard patrols east of Taiwan are highly destabilising. The patrols have increased since June. Schriver, a former US assistant secretary of defence, tied the activity to sovereignty pressure through a law-enforcement role. "This is an extension of legal warfare and political and information warfare. This is highly destabilising if they continue to operationalise this law enforcement role," he said. CONTESTED: At the same event, Taiwan National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu said China has no legal claim to the waters east of Taiwan. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump has yet to approve a proposed $14 billion arms package for Taiwan. He approved $11 billion in arms sales in December and described weapons sales as a "very good negotiating chip" in May after meeting Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump and Xi are expected to meet again at the APEC summit in China and the G20 summit in Florida. On the pending package, Schriver said, "I think they'll find a way, whether it's splitting the package up or reimagining some of it as DCS or FMS."