The Spratly Islands - known as the Nansha Islands in Chinese- are a disputed island chain located about 1,120 kilometers southwest of Taiwan. They are situated about halfway between Vietnam and the Philippines or about 1,600 kilometers away from the Port of Kaohsiung. The group of more than a hundred islands and reefs is believed to be rich in oil and natural gas.
Right now, Taiwan has effective administration over one island in the chain, called Taiping Island. Taiwan’s coast guard is responsible for defending Taiping Island, while the Kaohsiung City Government is responsible for its administration.
While Taiwan has effective administration over Taiping Island, the Spratlys are also claimed in part or in whole by China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
In December, 2011, Taiwan's coast guard inaugurated a new solar power system on the island that will meet as much as 17% of its energy needs. The move shows Taiwan's "smart power"—solar technology—and also serves to cement Taipei's sovereignty over the disputed island.
While on the island, Ma spoke about his South China Sea Peace Initiative. The initiative holds that countries with competing claims in the South China Sea should shelve disputes over sovereignty and work together to develop the region.
Ma said the framework of his peace initiative calls for cooperation from all parties on issues including conservation and management of biological resources, marine protection and scientific research, crime prevention at sea, and humanitarian aid.
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto US embassy, said it was “disappointed” at the president’s decision to visit the island. The AIT said Ma’s trip is not going to help solve disputes in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, Vietnam said it is “strongly opposed” to the trip and the Philippines called on all parties involved not to raise tension there.
During his visit to the island, Ma said that Taiping Island is lawfully an island according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and not a reef. Therefore the island can be claimed as an exclusive economic zone, and Taiwan has the right to make claims on the island. Ma said that Taiwan’s long-term placement of surveillance personnel on the island is proof of Taiwan’s sovereignty in the area.