President Ma Ying-jeou has reiterated Taiwan’s sovereignty over disputed island groups in the East and South China Seas.
Ma was speaking Wednesday at the opening ceremony for a forum on peace in East Asian waters. In his remarks, Ma rejected claims that the Diaoyutai Islands in the East China Sea belong to Japan or have an undetermined status. He outlined the islands’ inclusion in Taiwan’s administrative system and official figures over the past several decades.
Japan maintains de facto control over Diaoyutai Islands. The islands are often known in international contexts by their Japanese name, the Senkaku Islands. But Ma said that Taiwan’s sovereignty over the islands is irrefutable.
Ma also reiterated Taiwan’s sovereignty over Taiping Island, sometimes known as Itu Aba. Taiwan maintains de facto control of the island, though it is also subject to claims by the Philippines and Vietnam.
President Ma said that the island has fresh water, is capable of supporting life, and meets the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea’s criteria for an island. He said that this means that the waters around Taiping Island are therefore territorial waters.
The president said Taiwan has maintained a presence on the island for nearly 60 years, proving Taiwan’s sovereignty.
He also said that the Taiwan-Japan fisheries agreement has demonstrated the success of his East China Sea Peace Initiative. The initiative seeks peaceful development of resources around the Diaoyutai Islands by shelving disagreements over sovereignty.
Ma called on all countries to support his South China Sea Peace Initiative, which also seeks shelving sovereignty disputes and pursuing cooperation.