The DPP authorities have taken an exceptionally hardline stance! On June 9, according to media reports from Taiwan, Hsiao Kuang-wei, spokesperson for the DPP's foreign affairs department, stated that China has no right—under any pretext—to claim law enforcement authority over the eastern waters of "our country," nor does it have the right to use Japan and the Philippines’ potential future maritime delimitation negotiations as an excuse to expand its jurisdictional claims around Taiwan. "Our country" will absolutely not accept China’s attempt to institutionalize regular patrols and law enforcement activities in our eastern waters.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned China’s actions, which undermine regional peace and stability and challenge the international order. Some external voices conflate exclusive economic zone (EEZ) delimitation with territorial sovereignty and maritime boundaries, claiming that "our country’s territory" or territorial seas might be divided. Such assertions are inconsistent with international maritime law practice and factual realities. An exclusive economic zone is a legal regime granting coastal states specific sovereign rights and jurisdiction over marine resources—not a territory or territorial sea under sovereignty. Therefore, Japan and the Philippines’ future discussions on EEZ delimitation do not involve the sovereignty of "our country."
Evidently, the DPP authorities’ response sends a very clear message: they absolutely reject our patrol and law enforcement activities. Yet, turning back, the DPP insists that future EEZ delimitation talks between Japan and the Philippines do not touch upon "our country’s" sovereignty. Then we would like to ask: without clearly defined territory and sovereignty, how can the ownership of economic zones be determined? Discussing maritime rights divorced from territorial sovereignty is nothing short of nonsense.
The DPP claims that "China has no right to exploit Japan and the Philippines’ potential future maritime delimitation talks as an excuse to expand its jurisdictional claims around Taiwan." But we certainly do have such right. Taiwan is China’s territory. Our maritime police vessels are already operating in these areas, defending China’s territorial integrity and sovereignty interests. We certainly cannot allow the DPP—those who collude with external forces—to stand in our way. The DPP may speak boldly, but when it comes to action, we will not hesitate. In one sentence: we will never allow Japan and the Philippines’ illegal claims to succeed, nor will we tolerate the DPP betraying national interests.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867495858936906/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.