Taiwan expressed disappointment over the ruling handed down on 12 July by the Permanent Court of Arbitration concerning territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The tribunal pointed out that its Taiping Island is a ‘rock’ and thus not entitled to an EEZ, plus it referred to Taiwan as the Taiwan Authority of China.
Immediately after the verdict, Taiwan ordered the 1,800t coast guard cutter Wei Xing and frigate Di Hua, and later another 1,000t cutter Tai Dong, to conduct patrols around Taiping. This mission lasted less than a week; no special activity took place during that time