The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) lacks clear South China Sea policies and plans to relinquish the nation’s claims to the region.
KMT presidential campaign manager Jason Hu (胡志強) made the remarks at a news conference, with a poster behind him that read: “Inch [Taiwan] toward the US and Japan and the shadow of war might ensue.”
Hu claimed that DPP adviser Parris Chang (張旭成) said in May last year while on a visit to the US that if Tsai wins the Jan. 16 presidential election, she would renounce Taiwan’s claims over the South China Sea.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
“The Republic of China has both sovereignty and governing authority in the region. The coast guard has had a garrison on Itu Aba Island [Taiping Island, 太平島] for years. In terms of international law, this is what is known as an ‘effective demonstration of sovereignty and governing authority,’” Hu said.
Hu expressed his doubt that an armed conflict would occur in the region between the US and China, despite their constant exchange of barbs.
“My personal view is that they would try their best to avoid it. The US and Japan have taken defensive attitudes in the face of China’s expanding power. In addition, considering that China is still promoting its ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative, it would not want to become involved in conflicts that could hurt its agenda.”
“The KMT’s policy is clear, we advocate peaceful resource sharing. However, if sovereignty and governing authority over territory in the region is lost, the nation would have no basis to express its interests. That would also be contrary to the [DPP’s stance of] ‘proactive diplomacy,’” Hu said.
Maintaining sovereignty over Taiping Island “depends on maintaining the fragile cross-strait relationship and the delicate relationships with the US, China and Vietnam,” KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) said.
“The government’s efforts over Taiping Island in past years are clear. However, we are deeply worried about Tsai’s policies,” Lin said.
“Poor management of the South China Sea issue would result in an unstable cross-strait relationship, and we might in an instant lose six, seven, eight or nine diplomatic allies,” Lin said.
DPP spokesperson Chiu Li-li (邱莉莉) dismissed the KMT caucus’ accusations as mudslinging.
“The rumor was originally only online gossip, but Hu’s distortions and ill-informed criticism have revealed that the rumormonger has been the KMT all along,” Chiu said.
The DPP’s stance over territorial issues in the South China Sea has always been clear, Chiu said.
“Chairperson Tsai has never said the nation’s claims would be renounced, and she has always upheld that the nations involved should talk and together ensure the rights to sail and fly freely in the region, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Chiu said.
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