Taiwan, PH maritime exercises in the works

From Malaya (Aug 7): Taiwan, PH maritime exercises in the works 

Taiwan’s coast guard wants to improve cooperation with the Philippines and conduct joint search and rescue exercises despite tense standoffs in disputed waters in recent months, Cheng Chang-hsiung, deputy minister of Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration, said on Thursday.

The two sides have agreed to work toward joint exercises and have already held discussions on how to conduct rescue operations, Cheng said.

“Now we are moving toward exercises. This is the direction of our efforts. Both sides are making the effort,” Cheng said.

In late May and early June, Philippine and Taiwan coast guard ships faced off in disputed waters south of Taiwan to protect their fishing vessels and try to assert territorial rights. The incidents were resolved peacefully.

Cheng later traveled to the Philippines for talks. The neighbors have been working to mend relations strained by the 2013 killing of a Taiwan fisherman by the Philippine Coast Guard.

Eight members of the Philippine Coast Guard have been charged for the killing of the fisherman at the Balintang Channel in Northern Luzon. The killing sparked protests in Taiwan which responded with sanctions. Taiwan lifted the sanctions after the Philippines issued an official apology.

The Philippine Coast Guard personnel have said they were forced to fire at the Taiwanese vessel in self-defense after it tried to ram their ship and refused to stop for boarding inspection despite repeated warnings.

Cheng said Taiwan and Japan had held talks on search-and-rescue operations and Taiwan would also like to hold exercises with Japan’s coast guard.

Taiwan tends to use its coast guard to protect its maritime interests and lets its navy maintain a low profile, particularly in waters where sovereignty is disputed.

Although Taiwan is a claimant in both the disputed East China Sea and the South China Sea, it remains a marginal player in maritime territorial disputes.

Taiwan does not have diplomatic ties with other countries in the region which instead recognize China.

Taiwan’s maritime claims mirror those of mainland China as the mainland’s claims are based on maps dating back to the 1940s Republic of China government, that largely fled to Taiwan at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.

http://malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/taiwan-ph-maritime-exercises-works