Taiwan Today
Date: July 25, 2016
The Ministry of Science and Technology is pressing forward with scientific studies on Taiping
The rich ecosystem surrounding Taiping Island makes the largest naturally formed island in the Nansha (Spratly) Islands an ideal location for conducting scientific research. (Courtesy of Coast Guard Administration)
Island in response to the award rendered July 12 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the South China Sea Arbitration initiated by the Philippines.
“The ministry will continue scientific research in the South China Sea,” MOST Minister Yang Hung-duen said at an interview with the Central News Agency July 22 in Taipei. “We will also share the results of all such endeavors with neighboring countries.”
According to the minister, current MOST research on Taiping Island focuses on ecology, marine weather and meteorology. He said he hopes more scholars in social and natural sciences will take part in these activities in order to fully explore and document the history of the island, as well as its rich ecosystem.
In addition to an existing weather observation station, Yang said MOST will dispatch experts to Taiping Island to study the possibility of installing additional equipment and conducting atmospheric studies on a broader scale. [FULL STORY]