KMT presidential candidate Eric Chu is calling on Taiwan’s neighboring countries to set aside territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The call came on Monday during an interview with a local radio station.
Chu said Taiwan has historic ties with the South China Sea and that Taiwan has sovereignty over Taiping Island and the Pratas Island.
Tensions in the South China Sea have escalated due to overlapping claims by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.
Chu called for the joint exploration of resources in the disputed waters.
He also said Taiwan’s government should do more to turn Taiping Island into a tourist attraction.“I have always thought that what the government has done on Taiping Island is not enough. They should let the Taiwanese people feel that they have closer ties with the island. We should not overdevelop it, just keep the natural scenery along with some basic facilities. I think if the Taiwanese people have the opportunity to tour the island, and see our nation’s territory for our own eyes, it will enable us to be more proactive about the future possibilities for the island,” Said Chu.