Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Phạm Thu Hằng has accused Taiwan of conducting a live-fire drill in the waters around Taiping Island, which she considers a serious violation of Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty over the Nansha (Spratly) Islands.
In his remarks, Hằng said that this action constitutes a threat to maritime peace and stability, as well as the safety of navigation, and complicates the situation in the South China Sea.
In answer To these accusations, the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has qualified Vietnam’s statements as totally unacceptable.
“The Taiwan government has reiterated that, in accordance with international law and the law of the sea, it retains all rights to the islands of the South China Sea and their adjacent waters,” the MOFA said.
The Third Session of the Taiwan-Slovakia Commission on Economic Cooperation Concludes
Specifically, it holds that Taiping Island is the undisputed territory of Taiwan, and the government has full authority to exercise sovereign rights over the island and its waters.
Notably, in 2016, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen put forward “four principles” and “five actions” aimed at addressing South China Sea issues in collaboration with the international community.
“Tsai Ing-wen expressed Taiwan’s willingness to participate in consultation mechanisms and work with relevant countries to jointly promote peace and stability in the region, in the spirit of upholding equality and shared prosperity,” the MOFA said.
Meanwhile, the dispute in the South China Sea between Vietnam and Taiwan remains unresolved, raising tensions and concerns in a region already marked by territorial rivalry and which in recent years has seen an escalation in tensions between all the countries of the region.
