The foreign ministry has reiterated Taiwan’s sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands in the East China Sea. That’s the word from Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Joanne Ou on Tuesday.
The Diaoyutai Islands is an archipelago northeast of Taiwan that is claimed by Taiwan, China, and Japan. The islands are called the Senkaku Islands in Japanese.
Ou said it is indisputable that the Diaoyutai Islands are part of Taiwan’s territory and the government’s stance remains unchanged. Ou’s comments came as Ishigaki city in Okinawa prefecture is planning to vote on a name change on June 22 from the Senkaku Islands to Tonoshiro Senkaku.
Ou said the city should not let its “local affairs” affect the friendly ties between Taiwan and Japan. She also urged Japan to exercise self-restraint because the unilateral move is not conducive to regional peace and stability.
The foreign ministry spokeswoman said Taiwan has always called for peaceful means to solve territorial disputes.