Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) stated Thursday that the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) negotiations happening between Japan and the Philippines are aimed at China, not Taiwan. From this perspective and from talks between both parties and Taiwan, he said discussions won’t affect Taiwan’s rights and sovereignty under international law or maritime law.

Japan and the Philippines announced the initiation of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership via a joint statement released May 28. The statement included plans to initiate negotiations on the EEZ and continental shelf maritime boundaries, with delineations that highly overlap with Taiwan’s EEZ. The EEZ is the area 200 miles from a coastal nation’s shoreline within which a country has the sovereign right to manage resources and explore.

The foreign minister pointed out that these negotiations do not expand or increase the scope of either Japan's or the Philippines’ EEZ. Additionally, they are not legally binding to Taiwan under international law, and Taiwan already has existing fishery agreements with both countries. 

Furthermore, the Taiwanese government has already received assurances from both countries on the issue. Lin said, “After this incident, they have assured us – both publicly and via diplomatic channels – that Taiwan’s interests will not be compromised. We will absolutely protect Taiwan’s national sovereignty and fishing rights; the public can rest assured.”

Lin said it was China’s attempts to disrupt stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region that requires such agreements. He said anyone trying to divert attention away from that fact, or distort the issue to something else, is playing right into China’s strategy.