Four fishing boats that sailed to Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) in the South China Sea to assert the nation’s sovereignty over the island and its surrounding waters returned to a noisy welcome in Pingtung County yesterday.
The boats arrived at Yanpu Fishing Port (鹽埔漁港) in Hsinyuan Township (新園) at 10am, and were greeted with applause, firecrackers and shouts of “true heroes.”
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) was among more than 600 people in the crowd.
Photo: CNA
More than 1,200 empty plastic bottles were offered to the crowd so that they could take home water the fishing boats shipped back from Itu Aba.
The flotilla sailed for Itu Aba on July 20 in response to a July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.
In a case the Philippines brought against China, the court ruled that all high-tide features in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), including Itu Aba, are legally “rocks” rather than islands and therefore not entitled to 200 nautical mile (370.4km) exclusive economic zones.
Photo: Yeh Yung-chien, Taipei Times
Although Taiwan was not a party to the case and has said it would not be bound by the ruling, other nations in the region could use it to limit where Taiwanese fishermen can operate, which the fishermen said would hurt their livelihoods.
Three out of the four ships docked at Itu Aba on Monday last week. One ship was not able to dock at the island because it was carrying three reporters from Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV, which was not allowed as permits are required for anyone visiting Itu Aba, as it is categorized as a military-controlled zone.
The ship instead anchored in waters off the island.
Another boat had mechanical problems and did not finish the journey.
The Fisheries Agency yesterday said in a statement that while it respects the fishermen’s motive for sailing to the island, it might still fine them for alleged violations of the Fisheries Act (漁業法) and other laws, to uphold integrity of the law and safeguard the nation’s fishing operations.
People First Party caucus convener Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) said the government should not use the law to intimidate fishermen who sail to Itu Aba in support of the nation’s sovereignty.
Separately yesterday, the Ministry of National Defense said it has rejected Hung’s application to travel to Itu Aba, as Hung is not a public servant and has not been invited to participate in national security-related affairs.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from