Taiwan's "Coastal Patrol Department" Nansha Taiping Island harbor side dredging and dock renovation project was launched on March 18. Tsai Ing-wen is about to step down from office in May, but she has never set foot on Taiping Island during her term, sparking doubts on the island.
According to Taiwan's United News Network reported on the 18th, the "Nansha Taiping Island Harbor Side Dredging and Wharf Renovation Project" held a completion and opening ceremony on the same day. The advance personnel had already set off on the "Miaoli Ship" and arrived at Taiping Island on the afternoon of the 17th. The Taiwan military Officials were also invited to attend. Whether Tsai Ing-wen will land on Taiping Island before leaving office has become the focus of attention. According to the itinerary released by her office, Tsai Ing-wen will attend the "Fourth International Summit on Sustainable Taiwan" at 9 a.m. on the 18th and attend Taiwan's "Ministry of Education" event at 3 p.m. No related itinerary has been arranged for Taiping Island.
Kuomintang Chairman Zhu Lilun said on the 19th that Tsai Ing-wen, as the leader of Taiwan, went to the island to inspect and care about the local coast guard personnel, which is what she should do. Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-jeou have both gone there in the past, so I believe she has no reason not to go. The Kuomintang "Legislative Yuan" caucus held a press conference on the 19th, calling on Tsai Ing-wen to follow Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-jeou in landing on Taiping Island to declare "sovereignty." Xu Qiaoxin, deputy secretary-general of the party group, said that if Tsai Ing-wen does not land on Taiping Island, the "Legislative Yuan Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee" will make arrangements for landing on the island, and the Kuomintang will assume relevant responsibilities. Jiang Qichen, Taiwan's "Vice President of the Legislative Yuan", posted on Facebook on the 18th that he expected Tsai Ing-wen to board Taiping Island in person, and that he was willing to accompany her there to defend "sovereignty" with actions and show her determination to not give up an inch of territory. Weng Xiaoling, a "legislator" of the Kuomintang, said that it is really unreasonable that Tsai Ing-wen has never visited Taiping Island during her eight-year term. Kuomintang "legislator" Wang Hongwei said that it is very regrettable that Tsai Ing-wen has never planned to land on the island due to pressure from the United States. The DPP only talks about "maintaining sovereignty and not giving up an inch of territory" all day long, but when it comes to When I arrived in the United States, I was half shorter. People's Party "legislator" Lin Guocheng also said that everyone knows that the Coast Guard is stationed on Taiping Island. Tsai Ing-wen went to inspect and cut the ribbon before leaving office and was "optimistic about its success."
Zhuang Ruixiong, secretary-general of the Democratic Progressive Party's "Legislative Yuan" caucus, claimed on the 19th that the current situation in the South China Sea continues to heat up, and whether Taiwanese leaders want to land on Taiping Island should be properly planned. Wu Siyao, secretary-general of the Democratic Progressive Party's "Legislative Yuan" caucus, once again blamed the mainland, questioning whether the KMT raised this issue at this time, "is it under pressure from the mainland?" She said that she respects the arrangements and assessments of Tsai Ing-wen's office, whether to go or not It was Tsai's decision to go, and the DPP caucus declined to comment.
After the Taiping Island Airport was completed at the end of 2007, Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-jeou both landed on Taiping Island during their term of office and proposed the "Nansha Initiative" and the "South China Sea Peace Initiative" respectively. At the beginning of this year, Ma Ying-jeou issued a document supporting Tsai Ing-wen's landing on Taiping Island. He believed that this involves "territorial sovereignty" and will also help maintain peace in the entire South China Sea. Su Qi, Taiwan's former "Secretary-General of the National Security Council," predicted in February that there was a 90% chance that Tsai Ing-wen would not land on Taiping Island. On the one hand, this is because the Philippines currently has tense relations with the mainland, and the United States does not want to see Taiwan get involved in the South China Sea issue. . The bigger reason is that Tsai Ing-wen is concerned about her own personal safety. "It's a 4-hour flight and 1,600 kilometers. Can you fly there and come back?" Su Qi said that the mainland has too many fighter jets. "We'll forget it by then." If we don’t shoot you down, we’ll send a few fighter jets to take turns accompanying you. When photos come out, you’ll be flanked on both sides. That would be very ugly. Taiwan’s fighter jets are completely incapable of escorting you, and security reasons alone are enough for Tsai to not go to Taiping Island.”
Taiwan’s retired general Li Zhengjie also analyzed in a Taiwanese media program on the 18th that there are three islands and reefs including Mischief Reef next to Taiping Island. If Tsai Ing-wen goes there, she may be "wrapped up like dumpling stuffing." The mainland's J-20 combat brigade is nearby. It is easy to carry out interference, and it is difficult for the Taiwan Air Force to provide cover and support. He believes that although the mainland should not take action, Tsai Ing-wen "still dare not go. The United States will not allow her to land on Taiping Island at this time, which will increase the complexity of the situation between the United States, the Philippines, and the mainland in the South China Sea."
Some media on the island also analyzed that Ma Ying-jeou ignored the pressure from the United States during his term and landed on Taiping Island before leaving office. The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council stated at the time that China had indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands, both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, and compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have responsibilities. Jointly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and safeguard the overall and fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.Therefore, the act of landing on Taiping Island means identifying with One China, and Tsai Ing-wen obviously has concerns about this.
Taiwan's China Times Electronic News stated that Tsai Ing-wen introduced the "four-point principles and five practices" South China Sea policy when she came to power. However, due to fear of the United States, there were only empty statements and no concrete actions, which made the Taiwanese people feel that the Tsai administration was The international political reality of being "one-sided towards the United States" and being slapped in the face by the United States in the South China Sea dispute. Taiwan's "United Daily News" published an editorial saying that Tsai Ing-wen was hesitant on whether to land on Taiping Island, mainly because she was worried about the displeasure of the United States. "This mentality is also a myth that must be dispelled in Taiwan's political arena." The article said that now Taiwan is no longer completely in power without the green camp, and Trump in the United States may return to the White House. The idea of "depending on the United States for everything" is extremely unreliable. "Tsai Ing-wen does not dare to go to Taiping Island, which will leave behind the historical crime of 'weakness'" ". (Chen Lifei) ▲
