On July 29, the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office held a regular press conference. A reporter asked: Recently, a People's Liberation Army helicopter accompanied by a drone crossed the so-called "Taiwan Strait median line," sparking concerns from Taiwan and the international community. In recent times, Chinese maritime law enforcement vessels have frequently appeared in waters east of Taiwan, moving from the western side of the "median line" and the waters around Kinmen and Matsu to the eastern seas last month. The mainland has stated that this is in response to the "unilateral demarcation by Japan and the Philippines" to assert maritime sovereignty. How does the mainland view external perceptions that it is attempting to implement a strategic encirclement and maximum pressure on the waters around Taiwan using a "salami-slicing" approach? How does it assess the impact of such continuous compression of Taiwan's defense and living space on the sentiments of Taiwanese people, cross-strait relations, and the situation in the Taiwan Strait?
Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office, stated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and there is fundamentally no so-called "Taiwan Strait median line." The relevant actions by the PLA and maritime law enforcement in the waters around Taiwan are aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as protecting the fundamental interests of all Chinese people, including our compatriots in Taiwan. These actions are legitimate, lawful, and entirely justified.