Hasn’t the US clearly established the waters around Taiwan being international waters subject to FONOPs and explicitly not territorial waters outside of the 12km limit?
China and Taiwan are aligned in their EEZ/territorial claims in the region (all the way down to the Spratly and Paracel Islands), so these missile launches would constitute only firing missiles from one point in their EEZ to another point in their EEZ without passing over airspace defined by territorial waters boundaries… Which, since as we’ve already established aren’t territorial waters, is perfectly legal in the rules-based system.
Until China and Taiwan deviate in their territorial claims, these operations are no less valid and no more provocative than the US sailing warships through the strait and conducting military exercises in the China/Taiwan EEZ claim.
Hasn’t the US clearly established the waters around Taiwan being international waters subject to FONOPs and explicitly not territorial waters outside of the 12km limit?
China and Taiwan are aligned in their EEZ/territorial claims in the region (all the way down to the Spratly and Paracel Islands), so these missile launches would constitute only firing missiles from one point in their EEZ to another point in their EEZ without passing over airspace defined by territorial waters boundaries… Which, since as we’ve already established aren’t territorial waters, is perfectly legal in the rules-based system.
It’s not the legality that bothers me.
Oh, so it’s a feels-based international order?
Until China and Taiwan deviate in their territorial claims, these operations are no less valid and no more provocative than the US sailing warships through the strait and conducting military exercises in the China/Taiwan EEZ claim.