President Ma Ying-jeou has unveiled a commemorative monument on Pengjia Islet in the East China Sea. Ma visited the islet Saturday afternoon. This is his second visit to the islet since 2012.
Ma said he was originally scheduled to visit the islet on April 10th to mark the third anniversary of a fisheries agreement between Taiwan and Japan. However, the trip was rescheduled for a day earlier due to poor weather conditions.
The monument is dedicated to the president’s East China Sea Peace initiative. The initiative calls for all parties to disputes in the East China Sea to set aside their differences and work to jointly develop resources in the area. The main dispute concerns the Diaoyutai Islands. The islands, located to the north of Taiwan, are administered by Japan but claimed by Taiwan and China.
The president is set to leave office on May 20 after completing his second term. He said he would like to share his experiences in promoting peace, both across the Taiwan Strait and in the East and South China Seas.
Ma also said his concerns over the Diaoyutai Islands will not end with the end of his presidency, though he said conditions are not yet ripe for him to visit the Diaoyutai Islands.