Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) faces a dilemma on how to respond to a US vessel’s patrol close to two artifical islands built by China in the disputed South China Sea, National Chengchi University’s Institute of International Relations director Shuh-fan Ding (丁樹範) said.
The USS Lassen on Tuesday sailed within the 12 nautical mile (22.2km) territorial limit claimed by China around Subi Reef (Jhubi Reef, 渚碧礁) and Mischief Reef (Meiji Reef, 美濟礁) in the in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), which Taiwan also claims.
Ding said China and the US would maintain their “fight without breaking” strategy, which he said entails the use of self-constraint to avoid further escalation of tensions while continuing to compete.
Ding said the US’ action is fully justified under the UN’s Convention on the Law of the Sea, which states that foreign vessels, both military and civilian, are allowed innocent passage through territorial waters.
By deploying a vessel within 12 nautical miles of the two reefs, the US means to “deny China’s claim of sovereignty over the waters,” Ding said, adding that Washington would accuse Beijing of violating international law if China makes any move to intercept a US vessel.
If Beijing fails to react strongly, it would imply Xi accepts the rule of international law, which would raise doubts about Xi’s foreign affairs policy among Chinese hawks, such as People’s Liberation Army Major General Luo Yuan (羅援), who has said that China must deal severe blows to any foreign power acting against China’s national interests.
The rise in Chinese nationalism could spell trouble for China and the rest of the world, Ding said, adding that it would substantiate the “China threat thesis” if Chinese vessels were sent to confront — or collide with — a US ship.
The USS Lassen, a guided-missile destroyer based in Yokosuka, Japan, left the waters near the reefs without encountering any Chinese military action.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang (陸慷) said the USS Lassen illegally entered the waters of China’s Spratly Islands, and Chinese authorities have “monitored, followed and warned” the vessel and lodged a protest against what he described as an “irresponsible US action.”
The South China Sea island chain — reportedly rich in natural resources — is the subject of competing claims by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS