NO EFFECT ON TIES:The minister of foreign affairs told lawmakers that, despite Washington’s recognition of the ruling, it understood why Taipei had dismissed it
Taipei Times
Date: Jul 14, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) yesterday said that President Tsai
Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Hsi-ming, right, stands by as Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee answers legislators’ questions about the South China Sea tribunal ruling at the legislature in Taipei. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Ing-wen (蔡英文) has not ruled out visiting Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) in the South China Sea, which has been categorized by an international tribunal ruling as a “rock.”
Lee made the remarks at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee in Taipei, which reviewed the potential effects of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on Tuesday over territorial disputes between the Philippines and China.
Due to similarities between Taiwan’s territorial claims and those of China in the South China Sea, Itu Aba was brought up in testimony at the hearings, despite Taiwan not being party to the case. [FULL STORY]
