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Local biologist berates government over Spratly Islands

A local biologist yesterday urged the government to strengthen its management of the Spratly Islands to assert its sovereignty claim over the disputed archipelago in the South China Sea.

Jeng Ming-shiou (鄭明修), a research fellow at the Academia Sinica's Research Center for Biodiversity, said that Taiwan, which currently occupies Taiping Island (太平島) -- one of the biggest Spratly islets -- is the country that first stationed forces in the island group, but the government has done virtually nothing besides that to stake its claim.

Unlike Taiwan, Malaysia has turned Swallow Reef -- that it occupies -- into a tourist attraction by developing a holiday resort, desalination plant and wind-power plant there, Jeng said.

With the large number of beautiful marine creatures and coral reefs around the Spratlys, the government should value the tourist potential of Taiping Island and conduct a comprehensive environmental impact assessment before going ahead with its plan to build an airport on the island so as not to damage its plants and marine resources, he said.

Vice Minister of National Defense Huo Shou-yeh (霍守業) confirmed on Thursday that the government will build an airport on Taiping Island but emphasized that the airport is not intended for military use but for humanitarian purposes, such as emergency rescue efforts by the Coast Guard for sick or injured sailors or fishermen.

The Spratly Islands, which consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs surrounded by rich fishing grounds and oil deposits, are claimed either entirely or partially by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The claimants have stationed small numbers of military personnel on some of the islands.

Jeng said that the government and people of Taiwan have not paid enough attention to the country's maritime sovereignty and the importance of the sustainable development of maritime resources.

For example, Jeng said, the Spratly Islands and Pratas Islands are home to some of the world's most precious and biodiverse coral reefs, but they are very often left out of the government's policy-making process.

He suggested that the government step up its marine-life survey in the South China Sea and establish a ministry of maritime affairs to promote cooperation with other countries to conserve the maritime resources of the Spratly Islands.
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