Four Taiwanese fishing boats heading for Taiping Island are expected to reach there Monday night.
The crews of these boats set out for the South China Sea last Wednesday to demonstrate Taiwan’s sovereignty over Taiping Island, the largest natural island in the disputed Spratly group. The Spratly Islands are also claimed in part or in whole by China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam. A coast guard vessel is escorting the boats through disputed waters.
The boats’ journey was sparked by a recent Hague Tribunal ruling that Taiping is a rock, not an island. An island entitles its owner to a 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone, whereas a rock extends to 12 nautical miles only.
One fisherman told local media that he hopes the journey will prompt the government to protect Taiwan’s sovereignty over the island and Taiwanese fishermen’s rights in surrounding waters. A spokesperson for the boats’ crews said that the journey is not affiliated with or sponsored by any political group, nor do fishermen involved have any political stance.
Meanwhile, Presidential Office Spokesperson Alex Huang said Monday that Taiping Island is a military zone. To land on the island, a permit is required. Huang said that the Presidential Office will respect the military’s decision on whether to allow the fishermen to land on the island.