Recent territorial disputes in the South China Sea have put mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia at odds. As an important stakeholder in the region, the U.S. hopes to maintain freedom of navigation and commerce in both the East and South China seas. Aggressive actions by mainland China threaten regional stability as well as global commercial and political interests. The Group of Seven recently issued a statement about tensions in the East and South China Seas and called for all parties to abide by international law.
The Republic of China (ROC), (Taiwan) has long maintained its sovereignty over the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea, as well as the Diaoyutai Islands in the East China Sea. The ROC has stationed personnel on Taiping Island, the largest island in the Spratly group, to demonstrate the exercise of sovereignty in this area.
In a recent speech at Stanford University, President Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic of China said that his East China Sea Peace Initiative, proposed in 2012, asserted Taiwan’s sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands but called on concerned parties in the region to shelve disputes, respect international law, resolve disagreements peacefully and negotiate sharing resources.
In the spirit of the East China Sea Peace Initiative, and based on successful peace-keeping efforts under that Initiative, President Ma proposed the South China Sea Peace Initiative on May 26, 2015. He noted that the principles of the East China Sea Peace Initiative could be implemented to mediate disputes in the South China Sea. He stated that while sovereignty is not negotiable, disputes can be resolved through an emphasis on reconciliation, cooperation and peace. State Department Acting Deputy Spokesperson Jeff Rathke said that the U.S. appreciates the South China Sea Peace Initiative as an approach to stability in the region.
President Ma referred to this year marking the 70th anniversary of World War II, and recommended that the countries surrounding the South China Sea heed the lessons of history and commit themselves to advancing regional peace and prosperity.
Resolving the tensions in the East and South China Seas is important because of the potential consequences not just for Asia but for U.S. economic and political interests. Commerce worldwide will be adversely affected if freedom of navigation is not maintained. The principles in President Ma’s Peace Initiatives offer a blueprint for peaceful conflict resolution.
Huei-Yuan Steven Tai is director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta.
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