Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - On Wednesday, Taiwan rejected a Philippine complaint regarding live fire drills surrounding an island un...
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| Image: Reuters |
Berita 24 English - On Wednesday, Taiwan rejected a Philippine complaint regarding live fire drills surrounding an island under its control that is located deep in the South China Sea, claiming that it was within its rights to do so and that it always gave notice of its drills.
In a tweet posted late on Tuesday, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs expressed "serious opposition" to Taiwan's planned illegal live fire drills near the island, also known as Itu Aba.
The island is known as Taiping in Taiwan and Ligaw Island in the Philippines.
According to the agency, the Philippines owns the island.
It stated that the "illegal action" in the South China Sea "raises tensions and worsens the situation."
Taiwan's foreign ministry declared in a statement that the island was a part of the Republic of China's territory and that it was granted all pertinent rights under international law.
"On Taiping Island and surrounding maritime areas, our nation is entitled to carry out ordinary drills. Prior to each live-fire drill, we give advance notice to the relevant regional nations to safeguard the safety of maritime traffic and fishing boats operating in nearby maritime zones "It read.
The largest island in the Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei, in full or in part, is Itu Aba.
The Philippines typically voices the loudest criticism of China's actions in the South China Sea, particularly what Manila claims to be unlawful fishing.
Although the Philippines and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations, there are strong cultural and economic ties between the two nations, and Taiwan is home to over 160,000 Filipinos, the most of whom are migrant labourers.
They are China rests its claims in the South China Sea on the time that Mao Zedong's Communists won a civil war in China, forcing Chiang Kai-Republic shek's of China to flee to Taiwan in 1949.
At the far northern extremity of the South China Sea, Taiwan also has jurisdiction over the Pratas Islands.
