China has lodged a formal diplomatic protest with Japan after Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels sought shelter in the Taiwan Strait while avoiding Typhoon Bavi, according to diplomatic sources.
The vessels reportedly took refuge in the strategic waterway last week as the typhoon approached Japan’s southern prefecture of Okinawa.
A Japanese government source said the Coast Guard ships were not alone, noting that vessels from several other countries were also sheltering in the area at the time. The source added that it is not unusual for Japanese patrol ships to seek temporary refuge in the high seas of the Taiwan Strait when severe weather threatens.
Despite this, Beijing raised objections through diplomatic channels. The Japanese government responded by rejecting the protest, saying it could not accept China’s complaint.
A Japanese government source suggested that the protest may reflect heightened sensitivity from Beijing amid increasingly strained relations between China and Japan.
The latest diplomatic exchange mirrors a similar incident in September 2022, when China also protested after Japanese Coast Guard vessels remained in the Taiwan Strait while taking shelter from an approaching typhoon.
The Taiwan Strait remains one of Asia’s most strategically sensitive waterways, with activities in the area frequently drawing close scrutiny amid ongoing regional tensions.
