Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) outlined his marine policies yesterday, saying he would establish a ministry of ocean affairs if he were elected next month.
Ma made his announcement at Shenao (
He asserted Taiwan's claim to the Spratly Islands (
The Spratly Islands, a string of rocky outcrops in the South China Sea that are thought to be rich in oil and gas deposits, are claimed either entirely or in part by China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Ma agreed with President Chen Shui-bian (
He also outlined a strategy that would assert sovereignty over disputed islands in the South China Sea and East China Sea so as to secure fishing rights.
Ma said he hoped marine industries would contribute 5 percent of GDP within five years.
He said his government would crack down on Chinese vessels fishing in Taiwanese waters, a problem he said was rampant, and advised the Taiwanese fishing industry to decrease its crippling dependence on Chinese workers.
Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip William Lai (
The pan-green camp has made continuous efforts since 2002 to push for a Executive Yuan reorganization and the inclusion of an ocean ministry, but pan-blue legislators repeatedly blocked the plan, Lai said.
It was laughable that Ma should now play the ocean policy card, since the KMT had always seen moves to form such an organization as pro-independence and was therefore against them, he said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA
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