US President Barack Obama confirmed yesterday that the US’ mutual security treaty with Japan applies to the islands at the center of a territorial dispute between China and Japan.
“The policy of the United States is clear,” he said in a written response to questions published in the Yomiuri Shimbun before his arrival in Tokyo at the start of a four-country Asia tour.
“The Senkaku Islands are administered by Japan” and therefore fall under the US-Japan treaty, he wrote. “And we oppose any unilateral attempts to undermine Japan’s administration of these islands.”
Photo: Reuters
His statement seems aimed at reassuring Japan that the US would come to its defense if China were to seize the islands, known in Taiwan as the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) and in China as the Diaoyu Archipelago (釣魚群島).
Russia’s annexation of Crimea has sparked concern about the US’ political will to protect Asian allies, notably in Japan and the Philippines.
A Chinese government spokesman responded that China has “indisputable sovereignty” over the islands, and said “the so-called Japan-US alliance” should not harm China’s territorial rights.
“We firmly oppose applying the Japan-US security treaty in the issue of the Diaoyu Islands,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Qin Gang (秦剛) said at a regular briefing.
“The US should respect facts, take a responsible attitude, remain committed to not taking sides on territory and sovereignty issues, speak and act cautiously, and earnestly play a constructive role in regional peace and stability,” he added.
Obama told the Yomiuri the US is deepening its ties with China, but “our engagement with China does not and will not come at the expense of Japan or any other ally.”
He said the US will continue to take steps to reduce the impact of its military presence in Okinawa, but added: “It’s important to remember that the US Marine Corps presence on Okinawa is absolutely critical to our mutual security. It plays a key role in the defense of Japan.”
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
MISSION: The Indo-Pacific region is ‘the priority theater,’ where the task of deterrence extends across the entire region, including Taiwan, the US Pacific Fleet commander said The US Navy’s “mission of deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific theater applies to Taiwan, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler told the South China Sea Conference on Tuesday. The conference, organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), is an international platform for senior officials and experts from countries with security interests in the region. “The Pacific Fleet’s mission is to deter aggression across the Western Pacific, together with our allies and partners, and to prevail in combat if necessary, Koehler said in the event’s keynote speech. “That mission of deterrence applies regionwide — including the South China Sea and Taiwan,” he
UNPRECEDENTED: In addition to the approved recall motions, cases such as Ma Wen-chun’s in Nantou are still under review, while others lack enough signatures The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced yesterday that a recall vote would take place on July 26, after it approved the first batch of recall motions targeting 24 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers and Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安). Taiwan is in the midst of an unprecedented wave of mass recall campaigns, following a civil society push that echoed a call made by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) in January to initiate signature drives aimed at unseating KMT legislators. Under the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), Taiwanese can initiate a recall of district-elected lawmakers by collecting