Taipei nixes Tokyo's plan to redraw air defense identification zone
ROC Central News Agency
2010/05/31 18:01:44
Taipei, May 31 (CNA) Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy C.T. Yang said Monday that a Japanese plan to redraw its air defense identification zone (ADIZ) west of its Yonaguni Island is "unacceptable." The decision to refuse to approve the Japanese plan was made jointly by his ministry and the Ministry of National Defense, Yang told the Legislative Yuan.
"Although Japan can redraw the zone unilaterally according to its own laws, as Japan's next door neighbor to the west, we have to make our stance clear to Japan," Yang said.
Yonaguni, Japan's westernmost territory and the last of the Ryukyu chain of islands, lies just 108 km off Taiwan's east coast.
Yang said Taiwan's Association of East Asian Relations, which is in charge of dealing with Japan in the absence of diplomatic ties, relayed Tokyo's plan to Taipei May 21.
Under the plan, the ADIZ 12 nautical miles west of Yonaguni will be moved a further two nautical miles west toward Taiwan in June, following a request by residents of the island.
"Japan should consult with Taiwan about the move, which will affect Taiwan's air defenses. We have made known to Japan that its plan is unacceptable," Yang said.
Turning to the tension on the Korean Peninsula triggered by the March 26 sinking of a South Korean warship by North Korea, the minister accused North Korea of damaging stability in Northeast Asia.
He said the ministry has issued a grey travel alert for South Korea and a orange alert for North Korea, and is working on plans to evacuate Taiwanese there.
Under the Foreign Ministry's four-level alert system, grey represents no perceived danger, while an orange alert suggests that people should avoid traveling to the region in question and to be on high alert if travel is unavoidable. (By Chiachen Hsieh and Maubo Chang) ENDITEM/J
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
