Taiwan upholds South China Sea policy 10 years after international ruling

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday reiterated Taiwan's stance on the South China Sea, saying the country should not be excluded from efforts to address issues affecting its rights and interests, on the 10th anniversary of a landmark international arbitration ruling in a case brought by the Philippines against China.

In a news release, MOFA reaffirmed the Republic of China's (Taiwan) sovereignty claims and longstanding policy on the South China Sea, saying disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law and that the country should be included in multilateral dispute resolution mechanisms.

Countries involved in the dispute have a responsibility to safeguard freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, MOFA said, advocating that the disputants set aside their differences and pursue joint development of the region's resources.

Taiwan has sought to promote regional stability through measures such as protecting fishing rights, participating in multilateral dialogue, scientific cooperation and humanitarian assistance, and promoting research on the law of the sea, MOFA said.

Describing Taiwan as a responsible maritime partner, MOFA said its sovereignty claims and rights in the South China Sea are based on international law and the law of the sea.

Taiwan has used Taiping Island as a base to promote maritime cooperation, environmental conservation, humanitarian assistance, and scientific research in the region, MOFA added.

The ministry also said Taiwan is opposed to unilateral expansionism, gray-zone coercion, militarization, and other actions that undermine peace in the South China Sea, and it urged all parties concerned to resolve disputes peacefully in accordance with international law.

The MOFA statement was issued on the 10th anniversary of a ruling by an international arbitration tribunal in a case brought by the Philippines against China over competing claims in the South China Sea.

On July 12, 2016, the tribunal ruled that China's "nine-dash line" claim had no legal basis under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and that China's actions in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone violated Manila's sovereign rights.

Beijing, however, said that it neither accepted nor recognized the ruling, which was issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The tribunal also found that the Taiwan-administered Taiping Island, the largest natural feature in the Spratly Islands, was legally a rock rather than an island under UNCLOS, meaning it was not entitled to a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

MOFA at the time rejected the finding, arguing that it had not been invited to participate in the arbitration process and that the ruling was not legally binding on the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's formal name.

The ROC's rights regarding the South China Sea islands and their surrounding waters remained undisputed, MOFA said at the time, citing international law and the law of the sea.

On the 10th anniversary of the tribunal ruling, a joint statement was issued by 14 countries, including the Philippines, Australia, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, reaffirming the importance of international law and a rules-based order in the South China Sea.