Beijing slams US, European concerns over coastguard patrols near Taiwan

Beijing on Thursday rejected criticism from the United States and three European nations over its recent coastguard operations east of Taiwan, declaring the patrols were lawful and necessary to safeguard its maritime rights and regional order. The rebuke came a day after the US, Britain, France and Germany expressed concern over the coastguard deployments, saying the activities “threaten regional stability and the freedom of navigation and safety of international shipping”. Chinese foreign...