Taiwan president invites Philippines, tribunal officials to disputed isle

Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou answers a question during a news conference after his trip to the disputed Itu Aba or Taiping island in the South China Sea, in Taipei, Taiwan, January 28, 2016.

Reuters/Pichi Chuang


TAIPEI Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Wednesday invited Philippine government representatives and members of an international arbitration tribunal to a disputed South China Sea island for a visit.


"I, as Republic of China president, formally invites the Philippines government to send a representative or lawyer to visit Taiping Island," Ma said, referring to Taiwan by its official name and to the island that Taiwan controls by its Taiwanese name.


The Philippines has challenged the legality of claims by China, that mirror those of Taiwan, to most of the South China Sea, presenting its case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in November.


Ma was speaking at a press briefing after international journalists were allowed to visit the island, also known as Itu Aba, for the first time on Wednesday.


(Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Robert Birsel)




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Oh China. I really hope other countries do not go along with this absurd claiming of the South seas, I mean China can not even look after it's own small beaches, I can only imagine how they will destroy the ecosystem there.
Just a few months ago they were building artificial islands there, not to be negative, but I am starting to feel like everything is artificial here.