Beijing planning more surveys east of Taiwan to assert sovereignty, state media reports

Beijing will make maritime surveys in the waters east of Taiwan a routine matter as it seeks to assert its sovereignty following talks between Japan and the Philippines, state media reported on Friday.An article published by Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV, said mainland China was “diversifying” its claims to the waters with a range of activities, ranging from military drills and coastguard patrols to natural resources surveys.It added that more regular surveys would help with territorial planning, development and protection. It said future operations could cover areas such as exploring for natural resources, aquaculture and building underwater infrastructure such as cables, pipes and tunnels.