by Brian Hioe

語言:
English
Photo Credit: US Navy/Public Domain

THE PRESENCE OF Chinese and US military vessels around Itu Aba, also known as Taiping Island, earlier this month has led to allegations by KMT legislators against the Coast Guard Administration (CGA). By extension, the attempt would be to make the Tsai administration look as though it has compromised on national sovereignty.

The incident in question involved a Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) conducted by the USS Dewey near the Spratly/Nansha Islands. The USS Dewey moved into an area near Itu Aba/Taiping Island, where Taiwan currently maintains a garrison of around 200 members of the Coast Guard. Itu Aba/Taiping Island is, however, also claimed by China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and is the largest of the Spratly/Nansha Islands

After the USS Dewey entered this area, it was followed by a Chinese warship. Subsequently, several Chinese militia vessels followed it. As such, the Taiwanese Coast Guard garrison stationed on Itu Aba/Taiping Island was on high alert during the incident.

Tweet by Vietnam-based maritime researcher Duan Dang about the incident

The USS Dewey’s FONOP took place on November 3rd and had been announced one week prior to it by the US Seventh Fleet, which is based out of Japan. Nevertheless, at the time of the FONOP, there was controversy over that, if the USS Dewey had entered within 12 nautical miles of Itu Aba/Taiping Island, this would have been within its territorial waters.

The United Daily News (UDN) reported that the US and Chinese vessels had radio exchanges during the incident. Nevertheless, UDN, which is pan-Blue leaning, is not always an accurate source. A previous front-page story by UDN alleged that the US had asked Taiwan to engage in bioweapons development, claiming this on the basis of documents that UDN claimed to have obtained. These documents were, however, falsified, and the story drew on existing Chinese disinformation narratives alleging that COVID-19 was secretly developed by the US as a bioweapon at Fort Detrick, Maryland.

Further controversy took place after KMT legislator Chen I-Hsin alleged during a press conference in the Legislative Yuan that US and Chinese vessels had entered into three nautical miles from Itu Aba/Taiping Island. Chen presented photos that he claimed from an anonymous source. These photos, however, did not indicate the date they were taken nor the distance at which they were taken. Chen subsequently alleged that the Tsai administration had done nothing to defend the nation’s territorial integrity from foreign vessels, seeing as the CGA had done nothing to drive off the vessels.

For its part, the CGA has denied that the US or Chinese vessels entered twelve nautical miles from Itu Aba/Taiping Island. According to the CGA, Chinese vessels were at a distance of 13.4 nautical miles from Itu Aba/Taiping Island at the closest. Likewise, the CGA emphasized that there was no confrontation between Chinese and US vessels. Chen, however, has accused the CGA of lying based on his alleged source.

National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen stated that if the vessels had entered twelve nautical miles of Itu Aba/Taiping Island, the CGA would have reported the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which would decide how to respond. Ocean Minister Kuan Bi-ling also denied that the vessels had entered within twelve nautical miles of Itu Aba/Taiping Island.

Chen I-hsin while campaigning. Photo credit: Chen I-hsin/Facebook

The pan-Blue camp periodically tries to double down on Taiwan’s claims over disputed South China Seas islands as part of its ROC nationalism. As such, a group of pan-Blue legislators intends to visit Itu Aba/Taiping Island next month to reiterate claims over it. Ma Ying-jeou did the same in 2015, for the occasion of a port being there, as did Chen Shui-bian, presumably in order to tamp down criticisms that he was not interested in maintaining the territorial integrity of the ROC. By contrast, Tsai Ing-wen has never visited Itu Aba/Taiping Island.

Chen may be seeking to criticize the Tsai administration over a familiar line of attack by the KMT. Otherwise, it is possible that Chen aims to depict the US as endangering Taiwan through escalatory actions with China, in line with the US-skeptic narratives that the KMT has leaned into during the present election.

The incident also takes place at a time when the US and Taiwan are set to step up maritime cooperation, with 155 private Taiwanese vessels to become part of a mutual maritime assistance program with the US. It is to be seen what the fallout of the incident will be, then. Either way, Taiwan claims it will increase the size of the frigates deployed to Itu Aba/Taiping Island from 20 tons to 100 tons once wharf construction is completed on the island, seeing as Itu Aba/Taiping Island is currently only able to dock ships with a size of 20 tons.
No more articles