The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday accused President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration of being “soft” in defense of the nation’s sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台).
Known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, the uninhabited islands in the East China Sea are claimed by Taiwan, China and Japan.
The territorial dispute has re-emerged amid reported plans by authorities in Ishigaki, in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture, to change the administrative designation of the islands from Tonoshiro to “Tonoshiro Senkaku.”
Photo: CNA
KMT Culture and Communications Committee chairwoman Alicia Wang (王育敏) said that the Tsai administration’s efforts to defend the nation’s sovereignty over the islands and the rights of Taiwanese fishers compared poorly with those of former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration.
While the Ma administration proposed the East China Sea peace initiative to maintain regional peace, Tsai’s government has “proposed nothing,” she said.
Ma’s administration said that the nation would not give up “one inch” of sovereignty over the islands, Tsai’s response has been “very quiet,” Wang said.
Tsai on Wednesday last week said that it has been the government’s “consistent stance” that the Diaoyutais are the nation’s territory, adding that her government supports setting aside disputes to make way for joint development of resources in the region, and a peaceful solution among the parties involved to maintain regional peace and stability.
Wang said that while Ma visited Pengjia Islet (彭佳嶼) to reassert Taiwan’s sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands, Tsai “does not dare” accept an invitation from Yilan County Commissioner Lin Tzu-miao (林姿妙) to visit the islands.
Lin, a KMT member, on Monday last week proposed a visit by Tsai, while KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) on Thursday on Facebook invited Tsai to join him and Yilan County fishers on a trip to the Diaoyutais.
Under Republic of China law, Yilan’s Toucheng Township (頭城) has authority over the islands.
The DPP government should not allow the nation’s sovereignty over the Diaoyutais to be violated, the KMT said.
The party called on Tsai to lodge a protest with Japan’s representative in Taiwan, and warn that a name change would have a severe impact on bilateral exchanges and friendly relations.
Representative to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) should convey the nation’s position to Tokyo, the KMT said.
The DPP government should send Coast Guard Administration vessels to the waters around the Diaoyutais to defend the nation’s sovereignty and fishing rights, as Ma did, the KMT added.
It also called for the resumption of a Taiwan-Japan fisheries commission to protect the rights of Taiwanese fishers.
The Ishigaki City Council is expected to vote on the issue on Monday next week, media reports said.
Additional reporting by CNA
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
RSS