Taiwan currently faces a dilemma in the South China Sea as tensions between the Philippines and China continue near Second Thomas Shoal. Taiwan's South China Sea issue is currently a domestic political issue, but the outcome could have regional implications.
Over the past few months, Taiwanese lawmakers have publicly Discussed Should President Tsai Ing-wen visit Ituaba (Taiping Island in Mandarin) before the end of her second term in office at the end of May? Ituaba Island, the largest natural feature in the Spratly Islands, is under the control of Taiwan, but is also claimed by China, the Philippines and Vietnam. It hosts a contingent of approximately 200 Taiwanese Coast Guard members.
In January, members of the opposition Kuomintang Party began calling on Tsai to visit Itu Aba and reaffirm Taiwan's sovereignty over the island.phone calls continued vague answer At issue was whether Tsai would preside over the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration's (CGA) ceremony for the renovation of Ituaba Pier. C.G.A. announced A $54.4 million dredging project aimed at deepening the Ituaba shipping channel has been completed, but Tsai did not say whether she would attend the opening ceremony.
In the end, the ceremony on March 26 was held without Tsai.
Nationalist politicians took advantage of Tsai's absence to accuse her and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of not wanting to protect Taiwan's sovereignty. Critics say that the past two presidents, Chen Xiu-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party and Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang Party, They both visited Itu Aba. The term is nearing its end. KMT lawmakers continue to urge Tsai to visit Ituaba before she leaves office in May.
President Mae particularly supported the demands of Kuomintang members. publicly opposed The National Security Bureau (NSB) has assessed that such travel is not recommended due to safety concerns. “If former President Chen and I can address these issues, President Tsai can too. This is not an unsolvable technical problem,” he wrote in his Facebook post.
“That's not the case,” Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu countered last week.appropriate time” Given the continuing tensions in the South China Sea, Tsai visited Ituaba. Both Wu and NSB director Tsai Ming-yan insisted on the president's visit. may be weakened Taiwan's continued diplomatic efforts have created a perception that Taiwan is “.local trouble maker” Considering the regional characteristics tension.
The DPP's concerns are based in part on Vietnam and the Philippines' claims to Itu Aba. Reaffirming sovereignty over Itu Aba could anger both countries, especially as Taipei and Manila further improve their ties. tie. Therefore, the Itu Aba visit will damage Taipei's relations with its important Asian neighbors, as President-elect Lai Ching-toku (currently Vice-President) begins his term in May.
Moreover, the Taiwanese president's visit to Itu Aba could benefit China. The Chinese government's claims in the South China Sea, including the “Nine-Dash Line,” Base of About the Kuomintang December 1946 “Eleven-dash line.” The official position of the Chinese government is that Taiwan and all territory controlled by its government are legitimately part of the People's Republic. China may use Tsai's visit to examine China's efforts to “jointly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and safeguard the overall fundamental interests of the Chinese nation,” including in the South China Sea.
In a sign of Beijing's intentions, Chinese media have criticized Tsai's refusal to go, implying that she is uninterested in maintaining Taiwan's sovereignty over the island. One article “Any attempt to collude with outside forces to betray the interests of the Chinese nation is playing with fire and will definitely be stopped by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and punished by history,” he said.
