Taiwan has dispatched a frigate to patrol the South China Sea ahead of schedule.
The move comes a day after the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that Taiping Island does not qualify as an island under international law. The decision was part of a larger ruling in a case between the Philippines and China. While Taiwan was not a party to the case, the ruling has hardened Taipei’s resolve to assert its control over the territories it holds in the South China Sea.
President Tsai Ing-wen boarded the Di Hua frigate at southern Taiwan’s Zuoying Naval Base Wednesday. She told naval personnel that the court’s ruling, particularly with regard to Taiping, has jeopardized Taiwan’s sovereignty in the South China Sea. She said that the frigate’s mission is a demonstration of the people’s determination to safeguard the country’s interests.