The seemingly permanent Chinese maritime patrols east of Taiwan give Beijing more flexibility to threaten or enact trade quarantine measures around the island, if it so chooses, while opening the door to clashes with Taiwanese, Japanese or Philippine vessels. On July 31, a spokesperson for the Chinese coast guard, or CCG, stated that "routine patrols" east of Taiwan by the Xiushan CCG vessel were ongoing, while Taiwan's coast guard administration, or CGA, confirmed that day the presence of the Xiushan and another CCG vessel, the Chongming. This followed a weekslong standoff between Chinese and Taiwanese coast guard vessels, starting on June 1, when the CCG announced it was conducting "routine law-enforcement patrols" in the waters east of Taiwan as a response to Japan-Philippines efforts to delimit their maritime border.