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Taiwan keeping eye on Japan's reported plan to buy Tiaoyutai isles

ROC Central News Agency

2012/09/06 19:33:36

Taipei, Sept. 6 (CNA) Taiwan's government said Thursday it is keeping a close eye on Japan's reported plan to buy three of the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands.

"We've asked our representative office in Japan to keep a close eye on developments (on the issue)," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Steve Hsia said at a news briefing.

Pressed by reporters for more details, Hsia said there have been reports that Japan has reached an agreement with a private owner of three islets in the Tiaoyutais to buy them for 2.05 billion Japanese yen (around US$26 million), but other reports have said the deal has not been finalized.

Hsia said Taiwan's representative office in Japan has obtained information on the reported plans by the Japanese government to nationalize the Tiaoyutai Islands.

"The Japanese government will still need to have internal discussions (on the matter)," he added.

Hsia also reiterated that Taiwan will not recognize any move by the Japanese government to nationalize the Tiaoyutais, and urged Japan not to take any unilateral action that would hurt its amicable relationship with Taiwan and affect stability in the region.

Amid the competing claims over the Tiaoyutais, President Ma Ying-jeou is scheduled to visit Taiwan-held Pengjia Islet Friday, which is not far from the disputed island chain.

During his visit there, Ma is expected to expand on his proposal for an East China Sea Peace Initiative, the Presidential Office said.

On Aug. 5, Ma proposed the initiative to deal with the sovereignty dispute over the Tiaoyutai Islands in the resource-rich East China Sea region.

A report in the Taipei-based China Times newspaper on Thursday cited unnamed sources as saying that the president will also reassert Taiwan's sovereignty over the Tiaoyutais by saying that Pengjia Islet and the Tiaoyutai island chain are close to each other and are both part of Taiwan's territory.

Pengjia Islet is situated just over 30 nautical miles off Taiwan's northernmost tip, and 76 nautical miles west of the Tiaoyutais.

Hsia reiterated that Taiwan will address the dispute with the relevant parties, on the basis of safeguarding sovereignty, shelving differences, pursuing peace and reciprocity and jointly exploring resources in the area.

The Tiaoyutai Islands, which lie about 100 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan, are currently controlled by Japan but are also claimed by Taiwan and China.

The chain is known as the Senkakus in Japan, and the Diaoyu Islands in China.

(By Elaine Hou)