Taiwan condemns militarisation in South China Sea

Taiwan on Monday called for the militarization of the South China Sea to stop and denied having plans to lease Taiping Island in the disputed maritime area to the United States.

In a statement, the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said that the South China Sea disputes must be resolved in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the freedom of navigation and overflight, while calling for the militarization in the area to be stopped.

In addition, Taiwan said that it has never had plans to allow any foreign country, including the United States, to use Taiping Island, a Taiwan-controlled islet that forms part of the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, and that Washington has never proposed this idea.

The Taiwanese government also called on the media not to spread false news that could disrupt its ties with China or worsen the disputes in the South China Sea, and reiterated the policy of using Taiping Island for humanitarian aid and international scientific research.

At the beginning of June, a think tank linked to the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party proposed the idea of leasing the islet to the US amid China's growing diplomatic and military strength in the area.
Taiwan has control over two islands in the South China Sea - Pratas and Taiping - and claims sovereignty over this strategic area along with China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.