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Taiwan will not cooperate with China on Tiaoyutais: spokesman

ROC Central News Agency

2011/09/02 23:14:39

By Kelvin Huang and Sofia Wu

Taipei, Sept. 2 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou has made it clear that the government will not collaborate with mainland China in dealing with sovereignty disputes over the Tiaoyutai Islands, Presidential Office spokesman Fan Chiang Tai-Chi said Friday.

The Tiaoyutai Islands, known as the Diaoyutai Islands in China and the Senkaku Islands in Japan, are a group of uninhabited islets that lie about 100 nautical miles off Taiwan's northeastern tip. The island group is controlled by Japan but also claimed by both Taiwan and China.

Fan Chiang said the Tiaoyuatis are the Republic of China's territory, no matter whether viewed from the historical, geological, legal theory and fishery apsects.

"President Ma has declared on many occasions that the government will insist on its claims over the Tiaoyutais," Fan Chiang said.

Noting that nearly all conflicts in the Tiaoyutai waters involve intrusions of Japanese coast guard vessels into the region to disperse Taiwanese or Chinese fishing boats, Fan Chiang said the conflicts at this stage only exist between Taiwan and Japan or mainland China and Japan.

By insisting on no collaboration with China, Ma means that Taiwan will not join China in negotiating those conflicts with Japan, Fan Chiang said.

He also reaffirmed the government's stance that it will continue to deal with sovereignty disputes in a peaceful and rational manner and to give priority to the interests of local fishermen.