The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has defended the government’s decision to build lighthouses on disputed islands in the South China Sea, saying the facilities are to help navigation.
Chinese media outlets reported on Thursday that the country is planning to build lighthouses on five islands in the South China Sea.
The islands are known as North Reef (北礁), Antelope Reef (Lingyang Reef, 羚羊礁), Drummond Island (Jincing Island, 晉卿島), South Sand (南沙洲) and Pyramid Rock (Gao Jianshih, 高尖石), all of which Taiwan also claims, and include two that appear to be in waters also claimed by Vietnam.
Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying (華春瑩) said in a statement posted on the ministry’s Web site late on Friday that the lighthouses were “necessary measures to guarantee the safety of vessel traffic” and were both in the public’s interest and compliant with international law.
The US and the Philippines have called for a voluntary freeze on any “status quo” changing moves by disputants in the area, but China has rejected the proposal.
Washington is also attempting to use this weekend’s ASEAN regional forum in Myanmar to lobby foreign ministers from Southeast Asian nations to pressure China to come to the negotiating table.
China claims 90 percent of the South China Sea and has recently begun to aggressively enforce its territorial claims.
In May, China moved an oil rig into waters disputed by Taiwan and Vietnam, backed up by a flotilla of warships and fishing boats, which resulted in a Vietnamese fishing vessel being sunk and anti-Chinese riots erupting in Vietnam.
The Philippines has also accused China of building a landing strip on a shoal it claims as part of its territory. Taiwan also claims the shoal.
The Xinhua news agency reported yesterday that Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) met his counterparts from some Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, on the sidelines of the summit in Myanmar.
Wang told Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh that China would take “all necessary means to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” and urged Vietnam to properly deal with the aftermath of the anti-China riots, the report said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old