President Ma Ying-jeou on Sunday lauded a fisheries agreement that Taiwan signed with Japan two years ago.
The agreement allows Taiwanese fishing boats to operate in part of Japan’s exclusive economic zone around the contested Diaoyutai islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan.
President Ma said that the Diaoyutai Islands had been a key issue for him ever since he was a student. He said that he was delighted now as president to see an end to fishing disputes in waters surrounding the disputed islands.
President Ma said on Sunday that the agreement is a peaceful way of solving conflicts, shelving sovereignty disputes, and sharing fishing rights. He said that the cooperation of the fishermen is a key part of the peaceful developments. President Ma also said that he hoped that the fisheries agreement with Japan can offer an example of how to solve disputes in the South China Sea.