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President proposes Spratly Initiative on Taiping Island visit

ROC Central News Agency

2008-02-02 23:49:48

    Taipei, Feb.2 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian came up with a Spratly Initiative Saturday during a visit to the Taiwan-held Taiping Island in the South Chin Sea, urging all surrounding countries to cooperate in regional environmental protection instead of bickering over sovereignty claims.

    Taiping is the largest in the Spratly island chain which is composed of a string of rocky outcrops possibly holding large oil and gas deposits. Besides Taiwan, five other countries -- China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei -- also claim sovereignty over the Spratlys.

    Speaking at the inauguration ceremony for a 1,150-meter airstrip on Taiping Island, Chen said Taiwan is willing to accept the principles and spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed between ASEAN member states and China in 2002 on an equal footing. The declaration calls for resolving sovereignty disputes with peaceful means and formulating a code of conduct for the South China Sea.

    In the face of the threat of global warming, Chen said exploration of natural resoruces in the South China Sea should give priority to maritime ecological conservation and sustainable development.

    He promised that Taiwan will invite international ecologists and representatives of major environmental groups to visit Taiwan-held islands in the South China Sea, including Dongsha (Pratas) Islands, the Taiping Island and Chungzhou reefs, for survey and research purposes.

    To shun the sensitive sovereignty issues, Chen suggested that a non-governmental South China Sea research center be established to facilitate international cooperation in protecting natural ecology and resources in the region.

    Chen made the half-day visit to Taiping Island to preside over the inauguration of the airstrip which was completed in January to supplement coastguard facilities on the island for emergency and humanitarian relief operations.

    Chen was accompanied by Defense Minister Lee Tien-yu, Interior Minister Lee Yi-yang, Coast Guard Administration Minister Wang Chin-wang and Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Chen Chi-mai on the unpredecented visit to the Taiping Island aboard an Air Force C-130 transport plane.

    Noting that construction of the airstrip is mainly for humanitarian purposes, Chen praised the military officers and enlisted men for their high efficiency in completing the airstrip in just 273 days.

    A total of 581 service personnel were involved in the runway construction project, and the two top leading officers -- Col. Chen Huang-cheng and Capt. Lin Hung-chieh -- have not taken a single day off since last August.

    The new Taiping runway is transformed from a central road on the island. The road was extended and expanded into a 1,150-meter-long, 30-meter-wide cement path that will be used as the main traffic trunk most of the time and as an airstrip during emergencies so that transport planes can land and take off.

    Chen expressed his admiration for close cooperation among various military units and the Coast Guard Administration in carrying out the tough construction project which covered land preparation, shipment of construction materials and equipment from Taiwan to the remote island, weather forecast, navigation route evaluation, equipment maintenance, geological survey and building wrok.

    Only C-130 transport planes can make landings and take-offs on the island, which is located some 1,600 kilometers southwest of Taiwan proper. It takes three to four days for a one-way voyage between the island and the southern Taiwan port city of Kaohsiung.

    With surrounding countries increasing their activities in the region in recent years, the number of shipwrecks and cases involving fishermen getting injured or missing has increased, making it necessary to build an airstrip on the Taiping Island to facilitate emergency response and humanitarian relief, Chen said.

    Last November, Chen went on, scores of Chinese, Philippine and Vietnamese fishing boats were stranded in the Spratlys area. The Philippine military authorities sent a trainer on a sear and rescue mission, but the military plane lost contact. The Philippine authorities then sought the help of Taiwan personnel stationed on Taiping Island. The case highlighted the need to enhance the island's humanitarian relief capacity, Chen noted, adding that the construction of an airstrip on the island is for humanitarian purpose only.

    Chen was originally scheduled to make a visit to Dongsha Island following the Taiping trip to extend regards and concerns for service members posted there ahead of the Lunar New Year. But inclement weather forced Chen to cancel the travel plan. Chen extended his Chinese New Year greetings to service members in Dongsha via phone after his return to Taipei.

(By Sofia Wu)

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