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Envoy to Japan might be asked to explain disputed islands

ROC Central News Agency

2012/09/10 18:13:25

Taipei, Sept. 10 (CNA) Taiwan said Monday that it is considering asking the country's representative to Japan to return to Taiwan to explain Japan's plans to nationalize the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will continue to monitor the situation regarding Japan's intention to purchase the uninhabited islands, and might ask envoy Shen Ssu-tsun to return to Taiwan to explain the situation.

The Japanese government passed a 2.05 billion Japanese yen (US$26 million) deal earlier in the day to buy three of the disputed islands from their private Japanese owners and will sign contracts with them the following day, according to Japanese media.

Located about 100 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan in the East China Sea, the Tiaoyutais are controlled by Japan but are also claimed by Taiwan and China.

Asked whether Taiwan will protest over Japan's plan to nationalize the disputed island group, Shen said that "Taiwan will respond with appropriate measures," but declined to elaborate.

He reiterated the government's stance that "the Tiaoyutais are the inherent territory of the Republic of China. We have been consistent in our sovereignty claim over the islands."

On the long-stalled 17th round of talks on fishing rights between the two sides, Shen said that "both sides are willing to negotiate over the issues. Detailed arrangements of the talks will be revealed to the public once they are settled."

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Japan should avoid any unilateral action that infringes upon Taiwan's sovereignty over the islands.

It urged Japan to avoid hurting Taiwan-Japan relations and to refrain from heightening tension in the East Asia region.

The ministry reiterated Taiwan's historical claim over the archipelago, saying that maps from the 18th and 19th centuries record the islands as Chinese territory.

According to the ministry, the islands, which are called the Senkakus in Japan, were "stolen" by the Japanese authorities in 1895, the year the First Sino-Japanese war ended, adding that such move is deemed invalid under international law.

The ministry urged the Japanese authorities to shelve disputes, conduct rational dialogue over the islands, and cooperate in developing resources in the disputed region.

(By Emmanuelle Tzeng, Yang Ming-chu and Ann Chen)
ENDITEM/J