20 Jul Taiwanese Lawmakers and Fishermen Protested On International Tribunal Ruling that Undermined Taipei’s Claims to an Island in South China Sea
Image Source | watchingamerica.com
July 20, 2016, Wednesday, some Taiwanese lawmakers and fishermen headed to the Taiwan-controlled Taiping island in the undisputed South China Sea to express their disapproval on the international tribunal ruling which undermined Taipei’s claims there.
Consisted of eight lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and opposition Kuomintang (KMT), they boarded a military plane earlier that day to the said island. Later, to follow are 5 fishing boats set to sail to Taiping coming from southern Pingtung county which will arrive in 5 days’ time.
The protests came after the ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague that China has no historic rights to its claimed “9-dash line” in the South China Sea violating the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the exclusive economic zone. And for Taipei, the ruling stated that the Taiwan-administered island of Taiping was legally a “rock” not giving it an exclusive economic zone, thus undermining Taiwanese claims to waters surrounding the said island.
It was last week when Taiwan sent a warship to the South China Sea with the aim to defend their maritime territory having President Tsai Ing-wen rallying troops on the frigate’s deck the day after the ruling was given.
“The ruling is absolutely unacceptable. It is necessary for us to visit Taiping at this time to show the international community that it is an island, not a rock,” Johnny Chiang said, KMT lawmaker.
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