Taipei reiterates position on South China Sea issue

By Huang Ching-hsuan / Staff reporter The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday reiterated the Republic of China’s (ROC) “Four Principles” regarding South China Sea issues, urged all parties to strictly abide by international laws, and opposed unilateral expansionism and actions that undermine peace in the region.As the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s ruling that invalidated China’s claims in the South China Sea marked its 10th anniversary yesterday, several Chinese academics recently said that as the Philippines’ Batanes Islands were once under the jurisdiction of Taiwan, it therefore belonged to China.“ROC Taiwan’s sovereignty claims and related policies regarding the South China Sea islands have not changed,” and it “upholds the ‘Four Principles’ regarding the South China Sea issue,” t