President Chen Shui-bian (
The Pratas are Taiwan's second southernmost territory, next to Itu Abu (太平島), otherwise known as Taiping island, in the Spratly Islands (南沙).
Accompanied by CGA director Wang Chun (
It was the first time that Chen had visited the Pratas since taking office. Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (
The Pratas used to be guarded by regular troops, but at the end of last year the newly established CGA took over defense of the archipelago.
Chen expressed concern during the half-day trip over matters ranging from the preservation of natural resources in the region to the defense of the small outpost and the would-be full-scale opening of the island for tourism, the CGA said.
Chen said that Taiwan's South China Sea policy is to solve disputes in the region through peaceful means and to share and jointly cultivate natural resources with neighboring countries.
"The replacement of regular troops with the coast guard as the defenders of the island has effectively reduced tensions in the region. It also contributes a lot to the interests of the country," Chen said.
As to the preservation of natural resources in Taiwan's territorial seas off the Pratas, Chen wanted the coast guard stationed on the island to drive away fishing boats from China or boats from other countries that illegally enter Taiwan's territorial waters.
In a briefing to Chen, the local coast guard commander highlighted the frequent illegal entry into waters off the Pratas by Chinese fishing boats as well as the damage Chinese fishermen have done to the natural resources around the island.
According to research published by the Kaohsiung-based National Chungshan University, illegal fishing practices by Chinese fishermen have caused the number of species of coral in the region to drop from 137 to 64 in recent years.
Chen also said that without sufficient preparation by local residents, tourism on the island would not live up to expectations.
A Chinese freighter that allegedly snapped an undersea cable linking Taiwan proper to Penghu County is suspected of being owned by a Chinese state-run company and had docked at the ports of Kaohsiung and Keelung for three months using different names. On Tuesday last week, the Togo-flagged freighter Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號) and its Chinese crew were detained after the Taipei-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable was severed. When the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) first attempted to detain the ship on grounds of possible sabotage, its crew said the ship’s name was Hong Tai 168, although the Automatic Identification System (AIS)
An Akizuki-class destroyer last month made the first-ever solo transit of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship through the Taiwan Strait, Japanese government officials with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. The JS Akizuki carried out a north-to-south transit through the Taiwan Strait on Feb. 5 as it sailed to the South China Sea to participate in a joint exercise with US, Australian and Philippine forces that day. The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami in September last year made the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s first-ever transit through the Taiwan Strait, but it was joined by vessels from New Zealand and Australia,
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
COORDINATION, ASSURANCE: Separately, representatives reintroduced a bill that asks the state department to review guidelines on how the US engages with Taiwan US senators on Tuesday introduced the Taiwan travel and tourism coordination act, which they said would bolster bilateral travel and cooperation. The bill, proposed by US senators Marsha Blackburn and Brian Schatz, seeks to establish “robust security screenings for those traveling to the US from Asia, open new markets for American industry, and strengthen the economic partnership between the US and Taiwan,” they said in a statement. “Travel and tourism play a crucial role in a nation’s economic security,” but Taiwan faces “pressure and coercion from the Chinese Communist Party [CCP]” in this sector, the statement said. As Taiwan is a “vital trading
RSS