South China Sea ruling triggers cross-party condemnation in Taiwan
ROC Central News Agency
2016/07/12 22:16:21
Taipei, July 12 (CNA) Ruling and opposition parties and even local government council members were unanimous Tuesday in condemning an international tribunal's ruling that Taiping Island in the South China Sea is a "rock" rather than an inhabitable island.
In a case brought by the Philippines against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the international tribunal ruled earlier in the day that the Spratly Islands (including Itu Aba, Thitu, West York Island, Spratly Island, North-East Cay, South-West Cay) in the South China Sea are legally "rocks" that do not generate an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf. Itu Aba is Taiping Island.
Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡), secretary general of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's legislative caucus, said the ruling seriously damages Taiwan's interests in the South China Sea and is thus "absolutely unacceptable."
"The Republic of China government asserts its sovereignty over Taiping Island" and will definitely not accept the ruling which has "no binding power" in any way on the ROC, Wu said.
Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應), a DDP legislator in the Legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, said Taiwan has never been invited to offer its views on this case and the judges have made a unilateral decision, which he said is not binding to Taiwan.
Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) legislative caucus' secretary general, Lin Te-fu (林德福), denounced the ruling as "unfair and unjust," saying Taiwan "absolutely cannot accept" it.
Lin urged President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to call a national security meeting to reaffirm Taiwan's sovereignty over the South China Sea and to make a trip to Taiping Island in the Spratlys to highlight Taiwan's rightful ownership of the island.
His party's spokesman, Chou Chih-wei (周志偉), had even stronger words about the arbitration court, saying its ruling indicates the court's judges were "telling lies in broad daylight" and "bullying concerned parties to the full."
Taiping Island is 54,000 times larger than Okinotori Atoll which Japan claims as an island, Chou said, accusing the court in The Hangue of brazenly lying about Taiping Island and handing down a ruling that the KMT "totally cannot accept."
Chiang Chi-chen (江啟臣), another KMT lawmaker, expressed worry that the ruling would hurt Taiwan's interest over the long term because Taiping's status as a "rock" could invite an unexpected "foreign invasion" and thus become a "root cause for future conflicts."
Opposition New Power Party's legislative caucus convener Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) also complained that Taiwan was "made absent" from the legal proceedings and was "unfairly treated" throughout, so his party will not accept a ruling made without Taiwan's participation.
Hsu said the NPP regards Taiping Island as a normal island that meets the international legal definition of the term. He urged the government to bolster the defense and construction of the island that is located 1,600 km from Taiwan.
Minority People First Party said the ROC government should not recognize any ruling or declaration by other countries or so-called international courts that is based on "false evidence" or "technicalities."
The PFP suggested all concerned parties hold talks to set up a "South China Sea free passage hot line" mechanism to ensure rights of navigation for all parties in that area.
On the other hand, it said any ROC official making a wrong policy or statement resulting in the loss of Taiping Island should be charged with dereliction of duty as stipulated in the Criminal Code.
In Kaohsiung, Huang Po-lin (黃柏霖), who is head of the KMT's Kaohsiung City Chapter and a member of the city council, called the court ruling "absurd" and urged Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) to maintain the city's jurisdiction over Taiping Island.
A nurse based on the island registered her household address at 1 Nansha, Qijin District, Kaohsiung City in January this year, becoming a resident of the city, Huang said.
He said he was not ruling out a possible trip, together with other council members, to the island to visit "fellow city residents" and inspect their living facilities there.
(By Liu Kuan-ting, Wang Shu-fen, Wen Kui-hsiang, Hsieh Chia-chen, Chen Chun-hua, Wang Cheng-chung and S.C. Chang)
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