Japan-Philippines EEZ Boundary Talks: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Says Taiwan Should Not Be Excluded, Urges Negotiations with Taiwan
Taipei, June 2 (CNA) Japan and the Philippines are set to begin negotiations on the delimitation of their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and continental shelf boundaries, raising concerns that Taiwan's rights may be affected. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today that it has instructed relevant overseas offices to ask the host countries for details of the "maritime delimitation" and urged the two countries not to exclude or harm Taiwan's rights and interests, and to engage in consultations with Taiwan.
At a regular press briefing held this morning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was asked about the announcement by Japan and the Philippines to start EEZ and continental shelf boundary negotiations, with observers questioning whether the cross-border area lies east of Taiwan and could affect Taiwan's economic waters.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Xiao Guangwei responded that Japan and the Philippines have not yet released the delimitation scope, and the ministry has instructed relevant overseas offices to request the host governments to provide details of the "maritime delimitation" mentioned in the statement.
Regarding concerns over Taiwan's exclusive economic zone rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Taiwan's territorial sovereignty and sovereign rights under international law are beyond doubt. The government has taken note of Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara's remarks that "the Japan-Philippines agreement has no binding force on third countries," and that both Japan and the Philippines have no intention to affect Taiwan's rights in the eastern waters.
Xiao further noted that, considering the high overlap between the negotiation area and Taiwan's exclusive economic zone, Taiwan will ask both Japan and the Philippines to take this fact into account during the process, and not to exclude or harm Taiwan's rights and interests, and to engage in consultations with Taiwan.
Xiao mentioned that since Taiwan has signed the "Taiwan-Japan Fisheries Agreement" and the "Taiwan-Philippines Fisheries Enforcement Agreement" with Japan and the Philippines respectively, Taiwan will continue to negotiate with both countries on maritime issues based on these existing agreements to protect fishermen's rights.
Xiao said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that the Chinese government has used this incident to display force in the waters east of Taiwan, undermining regional peace and stability. Taiwan absolutely does not accept China's attempt to exploit this case to perpetuate the fallacy of the "One China principle" and attempt to militarize and claim jurisdiction to internalize the waters east of Taiwan.
After Japan and the Philippines announced the start of negotiations, Chinese state media CCTV reported on June 1 that China Coast Guard spokesperson Jiang Lue announced that the China Coast Guard fleet led by the Daishan Ship was carrying out law enforcement patrols east of "China Taiwan Island," claiming it was a response to actions by Japan and the Philippines. (Editor: Zhai Sijia) 1150602
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), also known as the economic waters, is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea. It shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles (about 370.4 kilometers) from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. Within the EEZ, coastal states enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight, freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines, and other lawful uses of the sea related to these freedoms.
Coastal states have sovereign rights in the EEZ for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds.
Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
