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By Efren L. Danao Senior
Reporter
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago
decried the “provocative” move of the Defense chief and a group
of legislators from Taiwan to visit the contested Spratly Islands in
the
South China Sea.
Santiago, chairman of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations, on Friday said the visit of the
Taiwanese officials to the Spratlys will violate the 2002
Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed
by China, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
All these countries, except
Singapore and Thailand, have filed claims to the island chain
believed to be rich in minerals and oil.
The declaration was signed to
ease the tension in the Spratlys, a potential flashpoint in the
region, because of the conflicting claims to the whole or parts of
the island chain.
It states that “the parties are
committed to exploring ways for bringing trust and confidence on the
basis of equality and mutual respect.” The declaration also
commits the parties to the “freedom of navigation in and
overflight above the South China Sea, as provided for by
international law.”
“The Taiwan airstrip
jeopardizes the freedom of overflight above the Spratlys chain,”
Santiago charged. She then urged Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto
Romulo to send a letter of protest to the Taiwan government through
the Manila Economic Cultural Office (MECO) over reports that the
Defense chief and 30 to 40 lawmakers of Taiwan would visit the
Spratlys to see a newly constructed airstrip.
Santiago said the protest note is
a more expedient move since there is no more time for the Philippine
Senate to pass a resolution.
“The Philippines has good
grounds to protest because it is a provocative act for Taiwan
officials to visit their newly constructed airstrip on Taiping
island in the Spratlys chain,” she said.
The Philippines has no diplomatic
ties with Taiwan in line with its One-China policy, but it maintains
MECO to take care of its trade and cultural ties with Taiwan.
“Taiwan is not a party to the
declaration, but nevertheless, it is bound by the declaration which,
in my humble view, has since evolved into regional customary
international law,” Santiago said.
She explained that as customary
international law, the declaration binds all states in the Asian
region, including nonparties. Taiwan claims parts of the Spratlys,
but was not invited to sign the declaration because under
international law, it remains a province of China that still claims
sovereignty over Taiwan.
Santiago expressed hope that the
protest note she hopes Romulo will hand over to Taiwan through MECO
would forestall the planned visit of the Taiwanese officials as she
expects it to reach the attention of Taiwan President-elect Ma Ying-Jeou
before he takes office on May 20.
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