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Military has response measures for South China Sea ruling: minister

ROC Central News Agency

2016/07/07 16:33:45

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) Taiwan's military has response measures in place and will respond appropriately to any developments following an upcoming ruling by an international court on a dispute between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea, Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) said Thursday.

Feng said that Taiwan is continuing to monitor developments regarding the South China Sea, including any moves being taken by related countries such as China, and he expressed hope that no conflicts will arise.

He was responding to questions from lawmakers during a hearing at the Legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, on the Defense Ministry's preparations for the possible escalation of tension in the region following the ruling, which is expected to be released next week.

The lawmakers expressed concern over the recent situation in the South China Sea, noting the presence of U.S. aircraft carrier groups and an ongoing drill being held by the Chinese military in the region.

Noting that the military has response measures in place, Feng said that it is also strengthening its ability to respond immediately.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Dutch city of The Hague is set to give its ruling on the dispute between China and the Philippines on July 12.

The Philippines brought the case to the international court to undermine China's claims that it has sovereignty over the waters of the South China Sea.

Manila argues that the land formations China claims in the South China Sea are nothing more than reefs and therefore not entitled to 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones, which buttresses Beijing's insistence that it has sovereignty over the waters.

China has repeatedly rejected the tribunal's jurisdiction over the case since it was filed in 2013.

Although Taiwan is not a party to the case, its claims in the South China Sea are similar to those of China, and Taiping Island (also known as Itu Aba), which is controlled by Taiwan, was brought up in testimony during the court hearings.

Should the court rule that Taiping Island is not an island under international law, it would also undercut some of Taiwan's claims.

Meanwhile, Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺) said earlier this week that the government is closely following the developments arising from the upcoming ruling, and has been preparing for various scenarios.

The government will deal with the issue under three principles, he said. First, the government maintains that all parties concerned in territorial disputes in the South China Sea should base their claims on international law, he said.

Second, all claimants should respect freedom of navigation and overflight in the region; and third, all the claimants should address the disputes through peaceful means, and Taiwan should be included in any multilateral mechanism to deal with such disputes, Huang said.

During Thursday's legislative meeting, Feng also told the lawmakers that the military will make every effort to strengthen personnel training and improve military discipline.

Feng, who held a review meeting on the military discipline Wednesday, said that he has given a directive that the three forces should review its personnel training procedures within 45 days and work to improve them.

Gen. Yen De-fa (嚴德發), chief of the general staff, will then pay an inspection visit to each military unit, he added.

Feng was responding to questions on how the Defense Ministry will improve military discipline in the wake of a fatal missile incident, which the Navy fired a supersonic anti-ship missile by mistake last week during a drill, hitting a Taiwanese fishing boat and killing its captain.

 

(By Wang Cheng-chung and Elaine Hou)
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