MOFA Minister David Y. L. Lin and more than 100 staffers from the ministry attended the hourlong question-and-answer session. The event aimed to provide officials with a keener appreciation for the legal points proving that Taiping Island is an island rather than a rock as well as sophisticated aspects of government policymaking in the area.
“Since it constitutes an island, Taiping Island has an exclusive economic zone spanning a total of 125,000 square nautical miles, but as a rock, it would only have 450 square nautical miles of territorial waters, 276 times less,” Ma said.
According to MOFA, the seminar was helpful in preparing officials to present Taiwan’s South China Sea case at home and abroad.
Wrapping up the seminar with a series of policy elaborations, the president reaffirmed that Taiwan was not working with mainland China to further the interests of both sides in the South China Sea. He also urged the incoming administration to continue the government’s South China Sea policy and safeguard the nation’s territory.
“This issue goes beyond party politics and can only be successfully addressed if we all stand firmly as one,” the president said.
The seminar follows Ma’s trip to Taiping Island Jan. 28 as well as the first visit by members of the international media March 23. During the latter trip, which was arranged by the MOFA, journalists undertook a comprehensive tour of Taiping Island during which they were shown that it can sustain human habitation and has an economic life of its own.
These visits are part of the ROC government’s efforts to refute the Philippines’ statements in the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague that Taiping Island is a rock. The president has also formally invited the Philippines government to send representatives to tour the island. (YCH-CM)
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