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Taiwan vows no concessions on South China Sea claims

ROC Central News Agency

2011/04/19 17:56:48

Taipei, April 19 (CNA) Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang made it clear Tuesday that Taiwan will made no concessions on its claims to sovereignty over some areas of the South China Sea, despite being a non-member of the United Nations.

"It is important to ensure that Taiwan's voice is not absent in the international community, " Yang said, commenting on a recent decision by the Philippines to take the territorial dispute to the world body.

The Philippines on April 5 made an official complaint to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in protest against China's claim over the entire South China Sea.

Six countries -- Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines -- claim all or part of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea and the Spratly, Paracel and Pratas islands, the Macclesfield Bank and the Scarborough Shoal, which are part of the area.

Taiwan controls the Pratas Islands, the largest in the entire South China Sea, and Taiping Island, the largest isle in the Spratlys.

Also Tuesday, Yang met with a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Dan Burton (R-Ind.) and they discussed various aspects of Taiwan-U.S. relations, including a pending U.S. arms sale to Taiwan.

Burton, who is chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia, said the arms sale is important to Taiwan's long-term security and that he will do his best to facilitate the deal.

Burton also expressed support for Taiwan's efforts to join the U.S. visa waiver program and to resume trade talks with the U.S. under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, according to Yang.

Burton arrived in Taiwan April 17 on a six-day visit. He is scheduled to meet with President Ma Ying-jeou, Legislative Yuan speaker Wang Jin-pyng, Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu and Mainland Affairs Council Minister Lai Shin-yuan. (By Emmanuelle Tzeng and Y.F. Low) ENDITEM /pc