President Tsai Ing-wen has reiterated the government’s unchanging stance that Taiwan has sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands.
The Diaoyutai Islands are northeast of Taiwan in the East China Sea. They are claimed by Taiwan, China, and Japan. They are currently known as the Senkaku Islands in Japanese, but Japan recently announced a vote on changing this name. The vote is scheduled for June 22.
In response, the Yilan County government, which has authority over the islands, has asked President Tsai to land on the islands and help put up a sign declaring Taiwan’s sovereignty over them.
Tsai responded with a call for the peaceful resolution of disputes in order to maintain regional peace and stability.