Feb 2, 2008, 14:33 GMT
Taipei - President Chen Shui-bian Saturday visited the disputed Spratly Islands to assert Taiwan's claim of sovereignty, triggering an immediate protest from the Philippines and possibly upsetting other countries claiming sovereignty over the islands.
In the first trip by any president from Taiwan or other claimants, Chen flew in a C-130 transport plane before dawn to Taiping Island (internationally known as Itu Aba Island), the largest of the Spratly group in the South China Sea.
Taiwan's Military News Service (MNS) released photos of Chen's arrival at the Taiping and his inspection of the island.
The trip triggered an immediate protest from the Philippines, one of the six claimants. Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romula said Chen's trip 'works against the joint effort by claimant countries in the South China Sea to achieve peace and stability in the region.'
'It is unfortunate that Taiwan is resorting to what may be considered irresponsible political posturings that could disadvantage peace-loving Taiwanese people,' he said.
The official purpose of Chen's trip was to inaugurate a 1,150 x 30 metre airstrip, but the Taiwanese press have speculated that the real purpose is to assert Taiwan's sovereignty over Taiping.
At the ceremony launching the airstrip, Chen said the runway was for humanitarian search and rescue as many foreign fishing trawlers operate in the typhoon-prone area.
The airstrip also makes replenishment of supplies to the island easier because the island is 1,600 kilometres from Taiwan, he said.
Chen also unveiled his Spratlys Initiative, urging claimant countries to cooperate in developing the Spratlys.
The Initiative said Taiwan is willing to join other claimant countries in seeking a peaceful settlement of Spratlys territorial dispute.
According to the proposal, claimant countries should seek to protect the ecology in the South China Sea by inviting international experts and environmental groups to carry out research on a regular basis.
Chen also added that to prevent territorial disputes hindering cooperation, the claimants should set up unofficial South China Sea Study Centres to hold international seminars.
'The South China Sea has rich natural resources, but the most valuable resource is peace. So it is up to us to decide: if we want to turn the region into a battlefield or turn it into the last pure land?' the MNA quoted Chen as asking.
Vietnam, Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each claim all or part of the Spratlys and the nearby Paracels, and all but Brunei have a military presence on one or more of the atolls. The waters around the islands are believed to contain substantial petroleum reserves.
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