The Executive Yuan yesterday said that civilians are not allowed to set foot on Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) without permission from the Ministry of National Defense, even as a group of Taiwanese fishermen plan to sail close to the contested island in the South China Sea today.
“Given that Taiping Island is categorized as a restricted military area, fishermen are not permitted to enter the zone without the defense ministry’s authorization,” Executive Yuan spokesman Tung Chen-yuan (童振源) said.
However, if the fishermen are in need of emergency shelter or need to replenish their supplies on the island, the coast guard officers stationed there would provide assistance, Tung said.
Tung added that as the fishermen are not familiar with the area they are heading to, the Coast Guard Administration would order patrol vessels to stop the boats at a safe distance to ensure their safety at sea.
Tung made the remarks four days after a group of fishermen from Pingtung County on Wednesday embarked on a mission to sail to Taiwan-controlled Itu Aba in an effort to assert Taiwanese sovereignty over the island and safeguard their fishing rights.
Itu Aba is the largest naturally occurring land feature in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島) and has been administered by Taiwan since 1956.
It is also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam and China.
The fishermen’s actions were prompted by a ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on July 12, part of which stated that all of the high-tide features of the Spratlys, including Itu Aba, are legally “rocks” that do not have an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
The ministry released a statement later yesterday saying it respects the fishermen’s decision to sail to waters near Itu Aba.
“Nevertheless, as Itu Aba is an important military restricted zone, people who plan to visit the island must file an application with the Ministry of National Defense at least 45 days in advance... These measures are put in place to safeguard our national security,” the ministry said, calling for consideration and cooperation from the public.
Speaking at a news conference in Taipei yesterday morning, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Alicia Wang (王育敏) said that as the fishermen did not file an application to visit Itu Aba beforehand, they are planning to request permission to set foot on the island on grounds of “seeking emergency shelter.”
Lo Chiang-fei (羅強飛), who acts as a spokesman for the fishermen, said that a coast guard vessel approached the fishing boats at 3:14pm yesterday to protect the boats, which were 157 nautical miles (290km) from Itu Aba at the time.
Lo said that the fishermen would attempt to set foot on the island this afternoon.
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow yesterday morning, the latest high-profile army figure to be blown up in a blast that came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegates held separate talks in Miami on a plan to end the war. Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but Russian investigators said they were probing whether the blast was “linked” to “Ukrainian special forces.” The attack was similar to other assassinations of generals and pro-war figures that have either been claimed, or are widely believed to have been orchestrated, by Ukraine. Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, 56, head
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured. In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large gatherings, transport hubs, and other crowded public spaces, according to official statements from police and city authorities. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city has “comprehensively raised security readiness” in crowded areas, increased police deployments with armed officers, and intensified patrols during weekends and nighttime hours. For large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
RSS