‘Distorting international law’: Taipei rejects China’s claims on Taiwan Strait

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Accusing China of “distorting international law,” Taiwan said on Tuesday it supports the “freedom of navigation operations” conducted by the US in the region.

Calling Beijing’s sovereignty claim over the Taiwan Strait a “false claim,” Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou said: “The only waters over which any country has full sovereignty are its 12-nautical mile territorial waters.”

The Taiwan Strait “consists of international waters, except for areas that can be defined as territorial waters,” she added.

She was responding to a statement made by Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, who on Monday said: “The Taiwan Strait ranges in width from about 70 nautical miles at its narrowest and 220 nautical miles at its widest.

“China has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, it respects the lawful rights of other countries in relevant waters.”

However, Joanne said: “Our government has always respected any activities conducted by foreign vessels in the Taiwan Strait that are allowed by international law.”

She added: “We understand and support the freedom of navigation operations conducted by the US as these operations promote peace and stability in the region.”

China considers Taiwan as its “breakaway province,” while Taipei has insisted on its independence since 1949 with full diplomatic relations with 14 nations.

Speaking at Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, a top defense forum, last weekend, China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said the “peaceful reunification” between mainland China and Taiwan is the “greatest aspiration of the Chinese people.”

“China is willing to do the utmost for that. If anyone dares to split Taiwan from the country, China will not hesitate to fight, even at any cost. No one should underestimate the determination, will and power of the Chinese military,” he said, as the US accused Beijing of a “more coercive and aggressive” approach to its territorial claims.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson also accused Washington of being the “biggest threat to the peace and stability” across the Taiwan Strait because of the US connivance and endorsement of the “obdurate separatist activities of the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces.”

The Taiwanese official said the island nation “will continue to work with like-minded countries to jointly uphold rule-based international orders.”