Taiwan is shadowing two Chinese coast guard ships loitering off its east coast, another sign that tension around the island is creeping into new waters.

• Taiwan sent a patrol boat to trail two Chinese coast guard vessels sitting east of Green Island.
• The area is where the sea zones of Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines overlap, and China claims it too.
• China ramped up coast guard and research ship activity there after Japan and the Philippines said in May they would start talks over the zone.
• Taiwan wants a seat at those talks and rejects China's line that its ships were doing routine patrols near "China's Taiwan Island."

Outlook: Expect more Chinese ships in these waters as the Japan-Philippines talks move ahead, with Taiwan pressing to be included.