Taiwan’s warship heads for Taiping

Taipei : A Taiwanese warship set sail for the South China Sea yesterday “to defend Taiwan’s maritime territory,” a day after an international tribunal undermined Taipei’s claims to islands there.

President Tsai Ing-wen rallied troops on the deck of the frigate, saying Taiwanese were determined to “defend their country’s rights,” before the warship headed for Taiwan-controlled Taiping island.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that Taiping, the largest island in the Spratlys chain, was legally a “rock” that did not give it an exclusive economic zone, undermining Taiwanese claims to the waters.

“The South China Sea ruling, especially the categorisation of Taiping island, has severely jeopardised our country’s rights in the South China Sea islands and their relevant waters,” Tsai told soldiers on the deck of ship.

“This patrol mission will show Taiwanese people’s determination to defend their country’s rights,” she said, before disembarking from the warship.

‘Completely unacceptable’

Taiwan’s government said the ruling was “completely unacceptable” and had no legally binding force since the arbitral tribunal did not formally invite Taipei to participate in its proceedings or solicit its views.

“In the text of the award, the Republic of China (Taiwan) is referred to as ‘Taiwan Authority of China.’ This inappropriate designation is demeaning to the status of the ROC as a sovereign state,” an official statement said.

“That the ROC is entitled to all rights in accordance with the International Law and the Law of the Sea over the South China Sea Islands and their relevant waters is beyond dispute. The arbitral tribunal did not formally invite the ROC to participate in its proceedings, nor did it solicit the ROC’s views. Therefore, the award has no legally binding force on the ROC,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Taiwan urged that disputes in the South China Sea should be settled peacefully through multilateral negotiations, in the spirit of setting aside differences and promoting joint development. 

“The ROC is willing, through negotiations conducted on the basis of equality, to work with all States concerned to advance peace and stability in the South China Sea,” an official statement said.