The recent Diaoyutai incident provides a prime opportunity for Taiwan and Japan to resume talks on the sovereignty dispute over the islands and its surrounding waters, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh (葉非比) said yesterday.
Yeh said the last time the two sides sat down to discuss the issue was nearly three years ago, but the recent collision served as a good reminder of the importance of negotiating with Japan on the fishing rights of Taiwanese fishermen.
“At the moment, the ministry is actively communicating with Japan on settling the boat accident,” she said. “We can see Japan’s good will in the matter and we hope the incident will end on a good note.”
To prepare for the resumption of the bilateral talks, the cross-agency committee specifically set for the purpose of resolving the Diaoyutai claim issue will be reactivated soon after being closed down after its inception in 1999, Yeh said.
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