The foreign ministry has reiterated that the Republic of China holds sovereignty over the South China Sea. The Republic of China is Taiwan’s official name.
In a press release issued Saturday, the foreign ministry said that geography, history, and international law all support Taiwan’s claim to the disputed waters and the islands in them.
On October 29th, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled in favor of the Philippines in dispute with China over parts of the sea. But the foreign ministry said that Taiwan does not recognize or accept the decision. It also said that the Philippines has not invited Taiwan to participate in its arbitration with China and has not solicited Taiwan’s views.
The islands in the South China Sea include the Spratly Islands, the Paracel Islands, Macclesfield Bank and the Pratas Islands. The foreign ministry said that Taiwan does not recognize any claim to sovereignty over or occupation of the islands by other countries.
The South China Sea is a heavily contested body of water, with China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all holding overlapping claims.