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MOFA slams Vietnam over charges of sovereignty infringement
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) says it considers Vietnam's claim that a recent drill conducted on Taiping Island was a violation of Hanoi's sovereignty as unacceptable.
This, after a spokesperson for Vietnam's foreign ministry said that live-fire exercises conducted by Taiwan in waters surrounding Taiping Island was a "serious violation of Vietnam's sovereignty over the islands." The spokesperson also said that the drills "caused tensions and complicated the situation in the disputed region."
The foreign ministry said Hanoi's accusation was "totally unacceptable," since the Republic of China retains all rights over South China Sea islands and their relevant waters, in accordance with international law and the law of the sea.
The ministry is also citing President Tsai Ing-wen's 2016 principles concerning the South China Sea disputes. She had called for peaceful resolution over the issues for peace and stability in the region while upholding equality and shared prosperity.
Taiping Island is located some 1,600 kilometers southwest of Kaohsiung and is administered as part of the city's Cijin District.
