Taiwan wants part in PHL-China talks on sea row

Taiwan should have been included in the bilateral consultation mechanism between the Philippines and China regarding the South China Sea issue in Guiyang, its representative to the Philippines said Friday.

Lin adds that Taiwan should've been part of the bilateral consultative mechanism on Friday bet. Philippines & China over the South China Sea pic.twitter.com/yvd2Y8qIFa

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) May 19, 2017

"As one of the most important claimants of the South China Sea, Taiwan should be invited to attend the consultation mechanism," Taiwan Rep. Dr. Gary Song-Huann Lin said in a press briefing.

Lin, whose position is equivalent to ambassador, said Taiwan must be allowed to set up its own bilateral consultation mechanisms with countries who have territorial disputes with China if it could not be included in the meeting.

"If this cannot be done due to political difficulty, Taiwan should also be welcome to attend the two-way bilateral consultation between Philippine and Taiwan, Taiwan and Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, and then indirectly, the bilateral will be formed," he said.

Lin believes that a solution to the South China Sea dispute can only be reached if Taiwan is included in bilateral talks as Taiwan claims four islands in the region, including Pratas Islands, Taiping, Zhongzhou Reef, and the Spratly Islands.

Furthermore, Taiwan will have no legal obligation to abide by what is established in these consultations if they are not part of it.

"The consultation is not complete without Taiwan participation. Apart from that, legally speaking, if Taiwan is not in the consultation, there are no obligation for Taiwan to abide by the result, the outcome, of the consultation," he said.

"Of course, Taiwan will try to respect the international law, including UNCLOS, but this will be a loophole for the solution of South China Sea issue, which is not conducive to the regional peace and stability," he continued.

China and the members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have completed a framework for the code of conduct in the South China Sea to ease tension over the long-disputed waters.

Its completion came after China and ASEAN agreed on the framework, the draft of which will be submitted to the meeting of ASEAN countries with China in August in the Philippines.

Although no details of the framework has been made public, all parties "uphold using the framework of regional rules to manage and control disputes, to deepen practical maritime cooperation, to promote consultation on the code and jointly maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea."

If approved in August, the framework hopes to settle decades worth of conflict over China claiming almost the entire South China Sea, over which Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam also have claims. —KBK, GMA News