Academics yesterday criticized a proposed amendment to the Regulations Governing the Approval and Administration of Direct Cross-Strait Sea Transport between the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區海運直航許可管理辦法), saying that President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration is threatening national security by allowing “all kinds of Chinese ships to navigate freely in the waters around Taiwan.”
The Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) states that no Chinese vessels may enter restricted or prohibited waters in Taiwan’s territory unless permitted by the relevant authorities.
The term “restricted waters” refers to the territorial waters 12 nautical miles (22km) from the coast, whereas the “prohibited waters” refer to the adjacent areas 24 nautical miles from the nation’s coast.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is mulling amending the regulations governing the administration of direct cross-strait sea transport by allowing Chinese vessels to navigate the sea around the nation as long as they file an application 24 hours in advance.
National Taiwan University law professor Chiang Huang-chih (姜皇池), who specializes maritime law, said that the regulations only allow cross-strait shipping service operators to enter the nation’s seaports, but the amendment would allow Chinese vessels to navigate through the nation’s restricted and prohibited waters without specifying the type of vessel.
He said that the amendment therefore leaves the door wide open for all Chinese vessels.
“The amendment would render the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area useless,” he said.
“Any Chinese warship and law enforcement vessel can display Chinese flags and move freely in our waters, posing a threat to national security considering that China has not foregone its intention to annex Taiwan,” he added.
Former Taiwan Solidarity Union Party legislator Hsu Chun-hsin (許忠信), who is now a law professor in National Cheng Kung University, said China has territorial conflicts with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines, and that Taiwan would become involved in these conflicts if it permits Chinese warships to navigate its waters.
In response, the ministry said that any ship registered abroad can be given “innocent passage” through the nation’s waters, and it is unreasonable to impose specific restrictions on Chinese ships.
The amendment only applies to ships regulated by the ministry, it said.
Warships are regulated exclusively by the Ministry of National Defense, it added.
However, Chiang questioned the necessity of such an amendment.
“The regulations have been enforced for decades without inducing any protest from China. Why do we need to change them?” he said. “It is also suspicious why the amendment did not define what is meant by ‘vessels.’”
“It is relatively easier to regulate the cross-strait direct-shipping service now because all vessels need to secure approval first and be inspected regularly, their number is limited.” Chiang said. “The amendment would only increase the burden and pressure on the administrative authority, given the 24-hour review rule and variety of the ships allowed.”
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by