The foreign ministry has reasserted Taiwan’s claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea. The ministry issued a statement Wednesday in response to a visit to the disputed Thitu Island by Philippine Chief of Staff Gregorio Pio Catapang.
Catapang took media to the island on Monday as part of what he called his final trip before retirement. Catapang also said he intended the visit to serve as an assertion of Philippine sovereignty over the island.
The Philippines exercises de facto control of Thitu Island, but like many islands in the area, it is also subject to competing claims by Taiwan, Mainland China and Vietnam.
Wednesday’s foreign ministry statement said that Taiwan has an indisputable historic, geographic and legal right to the area. The statement said that Taiwan’s sovereignty extends over the Paracel, Pratas and Zhongsha Islands as well as the Spratly Islands, where Thitu Island is located.
The statement called on all parties with claims to the area to respect international law and refrain from taking any action that would threaten peace in the area.
At the same time, the statement also reiterated Taiwan’s willingness to set aside differences with other claimants and work to jointly develop the area’s resources.