This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/taiwan-president-visits-small-island-in-show-of-sovereignty/2016/04/09/46e5105e-fe16-11e5-813a-90ab563f0dde_story.html

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Taiwan president visits small island in show of sovereignty Taiwan president visits small island in show of sovereignty
(35 minutes later)
PENGJIA ISLET, Taiwan — The Taiwanese president visited a small island in the East China Sea on Saturday to reassert Taiwan’s sovereignty and its role in the contested region, one of the key issues of his administration, which ends next month. PENGJIA ISLET, Taiwan — Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou visited a small island in the East China Sea on Saturday to reassert Taiwan’s sovereignty and its role in the contested region, one of the key issues of his tenure, which ends next month.
President Ma Ying-jeou’s visit to Pengjia, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Taiwan proper, was his administration’s second propaganda trip to an island in three weeks. It came four years after Ma last visited Pengjia to propose a plan to address territorial disputes among China, Taiwan and Japan over the nearby chain known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyutai in Chinese. Ma’s visit to Pengjia, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Taiwan proper, was his administration’s second propaganda trip to an island in three weeks. It came four years after Ma last visited Pengjia to propose a plan to address territorial disputes among China, Taiwan and Japan over the nearby chain known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyutai in Chinese.
Pengjia, considered the northernmost part of Taiwan’s territory, is not contested and is home to about 40 residents, a weather station and coast guard facilities. It lies some 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of the Japanese-controlled Senkakus, which are hotly disputed by China, in particular. Taiwan also claims the islands, although its conflict with Japan has been considerably less heated, having reached fishing agreements in 2013. Pengjia, considered the northernmost part of Taiwan’s territory, is not contested and is home to about 40 residents, a weather station and coast guard facilities. It lies some 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of the Japanese-controlled Senkakus, which are hotly disputed by China, in particular. Taiwan also claims the islands, although its conflict with Japan has been considerably less heated, with the two sides reaching fishing agreements in 2013.
Ma was planning to tour a weather station Saturday and unveil a monument to maritime peace at a ceremony and also mark Taiwan’s fishing deal with Japan. After arriving by helicopter Saturday, Ma unveiled a monument to maritime peace at a ceremony and commemorated the fishing deal he had signed with Japan.
During his eight years as president, Ma has sought to position Taiwan as a mediator in the region’s numerous territorial disputes while asserting its own claims. Political observers in Taiwan said the island visit represents a symbolic stroke before Ma steps down from the presidency on May 20, when Tsai Ing-wen will be sworn in as Taiwan’s new leader.
In January, he flew to Taiping Island in the South China Sea’s intensely contested Spratly group to demonstrate that Taiping is a self-supporting island entitled to an exclusive economic zone rather than a “rock,” as the Philippines claims in an international lawsuit. “Ma Ying-jeou wanted to (maintain) his legacy over these issues,” said Kaocheng Wang, dean of the College of International Studies at Tamkang University in Taipei. “I think he personally thought that is a successful policy to both claim our sovereignty, to safeguard our sovereignty and also to boost his popularity.”
Washington, a crucial ally, called the trip “extremely unhelpful” to efforts to maintain stability in a region widely considered a potential military flashpoint. During his eight years as president, Ma has sought to carve out Taiwan’s position as a mediator in the region’s numerous territorial disputes while asserting its own claims, even though it has been locked in a decades-long standoff with Beijing and lacks formal recognition from most of the world’s nations.
In January, Ma flew to Taiping Island in the South China Sea’s intensely contested Spratly group to demonstrate that Taiping is a self-supporting island entitled to an exclusive economic zone rather than a “rock,” as the Philippines claims in an international lawsuit.
Washington, a crucial ally, called that trip “extremely unhelpful” to efforts to maintain stability in a region widely considered a potential military flashpoint.
In March, Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Bruce Linghu led two dozen journalists on another trip to Taiping.In March, Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Bruce Linghu led two dozen journalists on another trip to Taiping.
While Taiping is the largest naturally occurring island in the Spratlys, it has been dwarfed by man-made features created by China by piling sand atop coral reefs and topping them with lighthouses, airstrips, harbors and other infrastructure.While Taiping is the largest naturally occurring island in the Spratlys, it has been dwarfed by man-made features created by China by piling sand atop coral reefs and topping them with lighthouses, airstrips, harbors and other infrastructure.
___
Associated Press writer Gerry Shih in Beijing contributed to this report.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.