Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators yesterday criticized the government for not upholding the nation’s sovereignty over the Spratly Islands by failing to expel a growing number of Chinese boats in the area.
“[President] Ma [Ying-jeou’s (馬英九)] foreign policy is weak under his ‘diplomatic truce’ and China-leaning policies. He didn’t even make an announcement that the Spratly Islands are Taiwanese territory, while at the same time allowing countries around the area to randomly challenge Taiwan’s territory,” said DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮), referring to the applications submitted to the UN last month by Malaysia and Vietnam.
The two countries submitted claims to have their continental margins widened beyond 200 nautical miles (370km), an extension that would include part of the region in dispute.
The disputed island chains and the surrounding waters are claimed either entirely or in part by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.
In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that the Republic of China (ROC) had “unquestionable” sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, the Paracel Islands, the Macclesfield Bank, the Pratas Islands and surrounding waters and that “the ROC government does not recognize any claims over or occupation of the islands by any country for any reason.”
Chai also said that the Ma government, in order to avoid offending China, had ignored Chinese fishing boats that entered the waters.
Chai made the remarks after figures from the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) showed that more than 500 vessels had intruded in waters off the Spratly Islands this year, much higher than in recent years.
The CGA station of more than 100 officers on Taiping Island (太平島), the biggest of the Spratly chain, is responsible for expelling foreign vessels in waters off the Spratly Islands.
The CGA said Chinese fishermen on big fishing boats often use ropes to make a chain with smaller fishing boats when they operate in the area, and that it is difficult to make them leave.
The coast guard said that after the Philippines amended a law in March to declare the Spratly Islands as its territory, an increasing number of Philippine vessels had also intruded into the waters. Vietnam’s fishing boats also appear in the area, the CGA said.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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