China’s coast guard conducted patrols it described as routine law enforcement in waters east of Taiwan yesterday, angering Taipei, which condemned the move as a political operation aimed at expanding Beijing’s control. In a statement, China’s coast guard said the patrols east of Taiwan were led by one of its ships, Xiushan, and it would continue to strengthen such efforts. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said a patrol ship, the Taipei, was among the vessels it sent to monitor the Chinese ships, and accused Beijing of engaging in “fake law enforcement, real expansion of power”. Two Chinese coast guard vessels, the Xiushan and Chongming, were detected yesterday, it said. One drifted about 151 nautical miles east of Lanyu, also known as Orchid Island, and the other about 43 nautical miles to the island’s northeast, it said, adding that Taiwan vessels were monitoring them.