The governments of Taiwan, Vietnam, and China have in the past week each reaffirmed their competing sovereignty claims over the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. The restated claims come in the wake of media reports that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is suspected to be building an airstrip on the disputed Triton Island.
The Taiwan Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said that the Paracel Islands, also known as the Xisha Islands, are without question the territory of the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan’s official name. The ministry called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid taking unilateral actions that may raise tensions in the area. They add that all parties should peacefully resolve disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation, and jointly safeguard the freedom of navigation and overflight.
The PRC has had de facto control over the Paracel Islands since 1974 after a short naval conflict with Vietnam. Both PRC and ROC claim sovereignty over nearly all of the islands in the South China Sea, while Vietnam’s claim also includes a significant portion of the islands.