President Ma Ying-jeou will visit Taiping Island on Thursday and has asked President-elect Tsai Ing-wen to send someone to go on the trip as well. Taiping Island is the largest of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. It is administered by Taiwan but also claimed by China, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Presidential Office spokesman Charles Chen spoke on Wednesday about the trip.
"If weather conditions permit, President Ma Ying-jeou will go to Taiping Island on Thursday to visit the personnel stationed there. The foreign ministry has told our allies," said Chen, "Presidential Office Secretary General Tseng Yung-chuan has called the Democratic Progressive Party on the president’s behalf to ask President-elect Tsai Ing-wen to send someone to go on the trip as well."
Chen said that Taiping Island is the territory of the Republic of China, which is Taiwan’s official name. He said that former President Chen Shui-bian visited the island during his term and that Ma has never objected to going. Ma had planned to go in December, but due to objections from the US, the interior minister went instead.
Upon hearing the news, Vietnam’s representative to Taiwan Tran Duy Hai said that if Ma goes Taiping Island, Vietnam will protest through diplomatic channels. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) also said that it was disappointed in the plan for Ma to go to Taiping Island. The AIT said that the move is not helpful to solving disputes in the South China Sea.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Eleanor Wang spoke on Wednesday about the issue:
"Taiping Island is the biggest island among the Spratly Islands. It is a part of Republic of China territory. President Ma going to the island is part of national strategy, and to greet the Taiwanese nationals there before Chinese New Year is an exercise of national sovereignty. It is necessary," said Wang.
Foreign minister David Lin said that while he understands Vietnamese and US concerns, Taiping Island is a part of the national territory. He said the foreign ministry had already discussed Ma's planned visit with the US.