President Tsai Ing-wen said that Taiwan is not bound by the ruling of the Hague tribunal on the South China Sea. The president was quoted in an interview published in Thursday’s Washington Post.
Part of the verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on the dispute between China and the Philippines stated that Taiping Island, administered by Taiwan, is a rock and not an island. This is significant as it means Taiwan does not have the right to an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Taiping.
Tsai said Taiwan does not accept the PCA’s ruling and does not believe it is binding. She pointed out that the court did not consult with Taiwan, also a claimant to territory in the South China Sea. She also objected to the court’s designation of Taiwan as “Taiwan Authority of China.”
Tsai also said Taiwan believes in the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes in the South China Sea in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.