The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it would continue to negotiate with the US regarding Taiwan’s sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台), after US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said during a visit to Tokyo that the disputed island chain falls under the auspices of a Japan-US security treaty.
The Diaoyutais, as affiliated islands of Taiwan, are under the jurisdiction of Yilan County and the Republic of China’s (ROC) sovereignty over them is undisputed based on their location, historical evidence, geological composition and international law, ministry spokeswoman Eleanor Wang (王珮玲) said in a news release.
“Since 1971, the US has repeatedly reiterated that the transfer of administrative rights over the Diaoyutai Islands to Japan did not touch upon the sovereignty issue. Washington also formally notified us on May 26, 1971, that the transfer did not damage the ROC’s relevant sovereignty claims,” Wang said.
Photo: CNA
The islands, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, have been under Tokyo’s control since 1972, but are also claimed by Taipei and Beijing.
Debate over the archipelago was renewed after Japan nationalized three islets in 2012.
The ministry issued the remarks after Mattis reaffirmed the US’ commitment to defending Japan under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, which he said also applied to the Senkakus.
The US has maintained its neutrality on the issue and reiterated on multiple occasions that it would not take a stance on the ultimate sovereignty of the territory, Wang said.
The government remains firm in its stance that the international dispute caused by the Diaoyutai Islands should be solved peacefully based on the UN Charter and relevant international laws, she said.
“We will continue to communicate with the US and explain our sovereignty claims,” she said, adding that the government remains committed to its pledge of being willing to engage in dialogue with concerned parties and help maintain regional peace.
FIREPOWER: On top of the torpedoes, the military would procure Kestrel II anti-tank weapons systems to replace aging license-produced M72 LAW launchers Taiwan is to receive US-made Mark 48 torpedoes and training simulators over the next three years, following delays that hampered the navy’s operational readiness, the Ministry of National Defense’s latest budget proposal showed. The navy next year would acquire four training simulator systems for the torpedoes and take receipt of 14 torpedoes in 2027 and 10 torpedoes in 2028, the ministry said in its budget for the next fiscal year. The torpedoes would almost certainly be utilized in the navy’s two upgraded Chien Lung-class submarines and the indigenously developed Hai Kun, should the attack sub successfully reach operational status. US President Donald Trump
TPP RALLY: The clashes occurred near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall on Saturday at a rally to mark the anniversary of a raid on former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je People who clashed with police at a Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) rally in Taipei on Saturday would be referred to prosecutors for investigation, said the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the National Police Agency. Taipei police had collected evidence of obstruction of public officials and coercion by “disorderly” demonstrators, as well as contraventions of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法), the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. It added that amid the “severe pushing and jostling” by some demonstrators, eight police officers were injured, including one who was sent to hospital after losing consciousness, allegedly due to heat stroke. The Taipei
NO LIVERPOOL TRIP: Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who won a gold medal in the boxing at the Paris Olympics, was embroiled in controversy about her gender at that event Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) will not attend this year’s World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, England, due to a lack of response regarding her sex tests from the organizer, World Boxing. The national boxing association on Monday said that it had submitted all required tests to World Boxing, but had not received a response as of Monday, the departure day for the championships. It said the decision for Lin to skip the championships was made to protect its athletes, ensuring they would not travel to the UK without a guarantee of participation. Lin, who won a gold medal in the women’s 57kg boxing
The US has revoked Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) authorization to freely ship essential gear to its main Chinese chipmaking base, potentially curtailing its production capabilities at that older-generation facility. American officials recently informed TSMC of their decision to end the Taiwanese chipmaker’s so-called validated end user (VEU) status for its Nanjing site. The action mirrors steps the US took to revoke VEU designations for China facilities owned by Samsung Electronics Co and SK Hynix Inc. The waivers are set to expire in about four months. “TSMC has received notification from the US Government that our VEU authorization for TSMC Nanjing
RSS