Taiwan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter Gollevainen
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Zetageist
Junior Member
Just some correction:
The largest island in SCS would be Woody Island (China), followed by maybe Pratas Island (Taiwan). Itu Aba Island is the largest feature in Spratly Islands chain only.
During the PCA tribunal final argument, the chief attorney from Philippines side did ask the court to rule all the SCS islands to be 'rock', for the regional peace sake. However, the final ruling is only all the islands in Spratly Islands chain are rock.
Also removing Itu Aba Island from the 'island' equation would make the Chinese artificial islands constructed on the low tide reefs (Mischief Reef and Subi Reef) illegal after ruling without the 200 nm EEZ umbrella coverage of Itu Aba Island under 'One China'.
This PCA ruling would just make the SCS more dangerous and more confrontational.
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Zetageist
Junior Member
Yeah, Taiwan got majorly fucked by this ruling - Biggest looser from this Philippines vs China case. I suppose it is because all the current China (PRC) claims are based on Taiwan (ROC) claims more than half century ago.
Thanks for the correction.
Regarding Philippine's plea, was the "rock" thing being only brought up in the final argument, not in the formal plea? That sounds unusual and not very "official". After all, in a court, a verbal complain in hearing can not be inserted into a formal charge without rerun the whole proceeding. I am not questioning your accuracy of information, but rather find it once again demonstrated how the tribunal acted like a Kangaroo.
It seems that US sacrificed ROC to defeat PRC by turning Taiping to a "rock".
Well, you can be 100% certain that PRC's claim is a continuation of ROC's claim because PRC claims to be the legal sovereign heir of ROC from October 1st 1949. That's also why PRC never questions ROC's claim, and actually constantly calling ROC to join force to defend the claims.
I guess you know the ECS confrontation between fishing boats from Taiwan and Japanese coast guard, it was PLAN cruising nearby providing backstop while ROC's cost guard ship was on its way from Taiwan. That was broadly reported through Taiwan's media.
Zetageist
Junior Member
It was a very big news in Philippines back in 2015
Justice Carpio explains Itu Aba issue in the PH suit vs China
MwRYum
Major
You should know that in politics, what's not flat-out denied is another way to say "yes it does". The fact that this got thrown around by Tsai's own camp and she, to this day, neither flat-out denied it nor openly reprimanded whoever in her camp big-mouthed it, means at the very least it's on the table, waiting for a chance to play it out.
As to "how to play it out" without benefiting PRC, some opposition politician actually spelled it out a few weeks back - rent the Taiping Island to the US, much like the how the UK/US dealings for Diego Garcia. Since DPP makes its bread and butter out of pissing off Beijing at every possible way, who's going to say President Tsai won't play that card adn have the DPP-affilliated media to spin it, as they always does?
Like I said, it plays right into DPP policy of withdrawal from SCS, so it's just a matter of figuring out how to play it out and spin it...dumping Taiping Island is, you've to agree, a clear sign to cutting off the last ties of Taiwan from China.
That cross the PRC's "foreign military presence in Taiwan" red line which might cause a military response or even a full scale invasion if things goes further.
Guys, Taiwan is NOT going to abandon or rent out Taiping period. This is just crazy talk here.
Here is a scholarly work on Taiwanese conscription. Its a long article to read but very informative.
P.S. after the international court's ruling do we still call Taiping an island or do we now called it a rock here on SDF ?
Here is a scholarly work on Taiwanese conscription. Its a long article to read but very informative.
P.S. after the international court's ruling do we still call Taiping an island or do we now called it a rock here on SDF ?
MwRYum
Major
And I can give you two instances that this line has long been crossed, and both are poorly kept secret:
The Pave-Paw radar on Taiwan is operated by US military personnel, raw data fed directly back to US home soil, then Taiwan got "shared " with selected, processed data;
"Operation Starlight", training service agreement made between ROC (back when it was the recognized representative of China) and Singapore, which the former plays host to Singapore military personnel, while the latter will pay for whatever services rendered by the host.
At least the latter the PRC, even after established diplomatic ties, tolerated it so long as it stays low key.
And you should know the DPP, they just love to throw crap at Beijing everyday and twice on Sunday. So what's so unthinkable for Tsai to go further?