A group of lawmakers serving in the Legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee have landed on Taiping Island.
Taiping is the largest natural island in the disputed Spratly chain. Though Taiwan has effective administration over Taiping, the Spratlys are also claimed in whole or in part by China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Wednesday’s visit to the island comes a week after the Hague Tribunal ruled that Taiping Island is a reef rather than an island. Though Taiwan was not a party to the case, the court’s decision has angered Taipei. At stake is a 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and control over resources in nearby waters. These are among the benefits of controlling an island that do not come with controlling a rock. The lawmakers’ trip was also an assertion of Taiwan’s sovereignty over the island.
KMT lawmaker Chiang Chi-chen said that with the infrastructure Taiwan has built on the island, Taiping is able to support long-term human habitation. The ability to support human life is one key criterion used in determining the difference between an island and a rock.
During their trip, lawmakers visited military personnel stationed on the island and inspected the island’s facilities.