President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday visited a small island in the East China Sea to reassert Taiwan’s sovereignty and its role in the contested region, one of the key issues of his administration that ends next month.
Ma’s visit yesterday to Pengjia Islet (彭佳嶼) — about 56km north of Taiwan proper — was his administration’s second trip to an island in three weeks.
It came four years after Ma last visited Pengjia to propose his East China Sea peace initiative, aimed at addressing territorial disputes between Taiwan, China and Japan over the nearby Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台), known as the Senkakus in Japan.
Photo: CNA
Pengjia, considered the northernmost part of Taiwan’s territory, is not contested and is home to about 40 residents, a weather station and coast guard facilities.
Ma yesterday toured the weather station and unveiled a monument to maritime peace.
During his speech yesterday, Ma mentioned his South China Sea peace initiative, which was proposed last year amid simmering tensions over competing territorial claims in that area by several countries.
Photo: Reuters
The initiative calls for all parties to take action to reduce tensions, abide by international law, ensure the freedom of navigation and overflight and seek a peaceful resolution to disputes.
Ma said that the agreement on law enforcement cooperation in fisheries matters signed in November last year between Taiwan and the Philippines was the first positive concrete result stemming from his South China Sea peace initiative.
Ma also touched on his January visit to Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) — the largest island in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島) in the South China Sea.
He flew to Taiping Island to demonstrate that Itu Aba is a self-supporting island entitled to an exclusive economic zone, rather than a rock, as the Philippines claims in an international lawsuit, he said.
Washington, a crucial ally of Taiwan’s, at the time called the trip “extremely unhelpful” to efforts to maintain stability in a region that is widely considered a potential military flashpoint.
Late last month, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruce Linghu (令狐榮達) led two dozen journalists on another trip to Itu Aba.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man