Tsai, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, has come under fire from opposing legislators for not taking the opportunity to uphold the island’s claim over Taiping.
“We all know clearly that we have spent NT$1.7 billion (US$53 million) in [renovating] the pier at Taiping and an inauguration ceremony is held there today…. But President Tsai Ing-wen did not dare attend the event,” said Lai Shyh-bao, a legislator of the main opposition Kuomintang party.
“It is such a great opportunity to assert our sovereignty. Why doesn’t she dare to go?” Lai asked Taiwanese Premier Chen Chien-jen in a legislature meeting on Tuesday.
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Tsai has not visited Taiping since taking office in 2016. Her predecessors, Chen Shui-bian of the DPP and Ma Ying-jeou of the KMT, visited Taiping islet during their presidential tenures.
Tsai’s no-show was “obviously a result of US pressure,” Lai said. He said that because of the complex South China Sea situation, the US had also exerted enormous pressure in 2016 on then-president Ma Ying-jeou, but Ma went to Taiping before his time in office ended later that year to assert Taiwan’s claim to him.
“Why could Ma do that but Tsai couldn’t?” Lai asked.
He was suggesting that Tsai must listen to the US because she needed to rely on Washington to counter Beijing, which she regarded as the island’s adversary.
Beijing considers Taiwan as its territory that must be reunited, by force if necessary. It has ramped up military and political pressure on Taiwan since Tsai was elected president in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle.
The United States, like most countries, does not officially recognize Taiwan as independent but it is opposed to a forcible change in the status quo and is committed to helping the island defend itself.
In response, Chen said Taiping “no doubt is the territory of the Republic of China [Taiwan’s official title] …and there is no need to further assert our claim if it is already under our sovereignty”.
Chen Chien-jen told reporters ahead of the legislature meeting the timing was inappropriate for Tsai to visit Taiping because of recently escalating tensions in the South China Sea.
“We have all seen that in the past two days or so that the situation in this part of the waters is rather turbulent, and there have been unilateral actions to sabotage peace and stability in this region,” he said.
There have been a series of confrontations between mainland China and the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea in recent months.
Manila accused the mainland Chinese coastguard of using a water cannon against a civilian boat supplying troops on Saturday at the shoal, which is within the Philippines’ 200-mile (370km) exclusive economic zone. Beijing, however, said it had taken necessary measures against Philippine vessels intruding in its waters.
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Philippines sets up ‘game changer’ monitoring station on island in disputed South China Sea
Philippines sets up ‘game changer’ monitoring station on island in disputed South China Sea
Chen Chien-jen said at this “critical juncture, Taiwan would continue to follow the international society to uphold peace and stability in this region”.
On Saturday, the US Department of State said in a news statement it “stands with its ally the Philippines, and condemns the dangerous actions by the People’s Republic of China against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea”.
Taiwan’s intelligence chief Tsai Ming-yen said last week he did not recommend the island’s leader Tsai visit Taiping, given the possible risk to her flight from “interference by relevant countries” and from Beijing’s military presence there.
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