Naval vessels will be dispatched to escort a group of legislators on their planned visit to the disputed Diaoyutai islands, Ministry of National Defense spokeswoman Lisa Chi (池玉蘭) said yesterday.
The Navy was making plans for the proposed trip by a group of lawmakers from the legislature’s Diplomacy and National Defense Committee, led by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁芳), Chi said.
Lin announced earlier that the trip — scheduled for tomorrow — will be aimed at “finding facts, claiming sovereignty and protecting the rights of Taiwanese fishing boats.”
It was still uncertain whether Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) would accompany the legislators on the trip, Chi said.
“Relevant details, such as the type of vessels, ministry personnel to be assigned to the mission, and whether the convoy will enter the disputed 12-nautical-mile [22km] zone around the Diaoyutais, are yet to be finalized,” Chi said.
The Diaoyutais have been at the center of a territorial dispute involving Japan, Taiwan and China for decades.
The waters around the island group have traditionally been a fishing ground for Taiwanese fishermen.
Lin said the legislators were determined to make the trip tomorrow, adding that “the decision will not be changed unless Japan apologizes and offers compensation.”
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