WASTEPAPER:The Ministry of Defense said it would continue routine cruise patrols and surveillance of waters regardless of the international court ruling expected on Tuesday

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 08, 2016
By: Tu Chu-min / Staff reporter

Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) yesterday said that the ministry has prepared three countermeasures ahead of the verdict on an international arbitration case filed by the Philippines against China’s claims in the South China Sea that is expected on Tuesday.

Feng made the remarks at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, during which he was quizzed by lawmakers on how the government is preparing to respond to the verdict.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) asked Feng whether he agreed with former Chinese state councilor Dai Bingguo’s (戴秉國) recent dismissal of the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on the controversial case as “just a piece of wastepaper.”

Feng declined to comment, but said the government’s policy is to shelve disputes and seek joint development of resources.     [FULL  STORY]