The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday condemned China’s attempt at hegemonic expansionism, adding that Taiwan strongly opposes any action that jeopardizes the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
The ministry was referring to China on Monday blocking Philippine vessels from delivering food to a coast guard ship at Sabina Shoal (Xianbin, 仙濱暗沙).
Taiwan harshly condemns any attempt to interfere with the freedom of navigation by force and coercion and urges all parties involved in the dispute to exercise restraint, follow the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea, and resolve differences by peaceful means, it said in a statement last night.
Photo: AFP
Taiwan will closely observe the developing situation with like-minded nations with shared values to ensure regional peace and stability is maintained, it said.
The Taiwanese government remains committed to the four principles” and five actions pertaining to the issues in the South China Sea, it said.
The four principles refer to support for the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the conventions, Taiwan’s inclusion in the dispute resolution mechanisms, upholding the freedom of navigation and overflight, and pursuit joint development with other states as equals.
Photo: Reuters
The five actions refer to the protection of the nation’s fishing rights, scientific collaboration, humanitarian assistance and rescue, and encourage the development of expertise in international law.
Separately yesterday, the Philippine defense chief said that China is “the biggest disruptor” of peace in Southeast Asia and called for stronger international censure over its aggression in the South China Sea.
Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr spoke at an international military conference organized in Manila by the US Indo-Pacific Command amid a spike in clashes between China and the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea and in its airspace.
China is “the biggest disruptor of international peace” in Southeast Asia, Teodoro told the conference, which was attended by military officials and senior diplomats from the US and allied nations.
He later told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that international statements of concern against China’s increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters and elsewhere were “not enough.”
“The antidote is a stronger collective multilateral action against China,” Teodoro said, adding that diplomats and defense officials should determine those stronger steps.
Pressed by reporters to be more specific, Teodoro said a UN Security Council resolution condemning and ordering a stop to Chinese acts of aggression would be a strong step, but acknowledged the difficulty of pursuing that.
“The world is not that perfect,” Teodoro said.
China, like its geopolitical rival the US, is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and has power to veto such an adversarial step.
ASEAN has paid “attention” to China’s aggressive actions, but should do much more, Teodoro said. “ASEAN, to remain relevant and credible, cannot continue to ignore what China is doing in the South China Sea,” Teodoro said.
Philippine officials said China deployed “an excessive force” of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manila’s largest coast guard ship in the disputed Sabina Shoal in the latest flareup of their territorial disputes in the busy sea passage.
China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation on Monday in Sabina Shoal, an uninhabited atoll both nations claim that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), the most hotly disputed region of the sea passage that is a key global trade and security route.
The Philippine Coast Guard said Chinese coast guard and navy ships, along with 31 suspected militia vessels, illegally obstructed the delivery, which included an ice cream treat for personnel aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua as the Philippines marked National Heroes’ Day on Monday.
The Philippine Coast Guard said it “remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold national interests and ensure the safety and security of our waters,” and urged “the China Coast Guard to abide with the international law and stop deploying maritime forces that could undermine mutual respect, a universally recognized foundation for responsible and friendly relations among coast guards.”
In Beijing, the China Coast Guard said that it took control measures against two Philippine Coast Guard ships that “intruded” into waters near Sabina Shoal. It said in a statement that the Philippine ships escalated the situation by repeatedly approaching a China Coast Guard ship.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
RSS