BEIJING (Reuters) – Both China and Taiwan
have an obligation to assert claims to the South China Sea, China’s
Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, in a sign of rare political
agreement between the old foes on either side of the Taiwan Strait.
Rivals China and Taiwan share claims to virtually the
entire South China Sea, a legacy of the Chinese civil war when the
Communists beat the Nationalists and took control of the Chinese
mainland in 1949.
The Nationalists settled on Taiwan and as the “Republic
of China” still claim to be the legitimate rulers of greater China.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has never renounced
the use of force to bring it under its control.
This week, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its
claims to the South China Sea. Taiwan occupies the largest of the
Spratly Islands, Itu Aba, as well as the Pratas Islands, which lie
between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Asked about the Taiwan comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that after World War Two, the then
Nationalist government of China had made “positive efforts” to protect
the country’s claims in the South China Sea.
This was something the Communist government carried on, she added.
Full article available here: South China Sea Dispute
Source: Euronews
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