Taiwan's president Ma Ying-jeou said Wednesday that his administration will not give up the Republic of China's territory in the South China Sea, but will continue to seek peaceful means to address the territorial disputes in the region.
Although some have advocated that Taiwan should abandon the disputed territories in the South China Sea, Ma said, they are part of the ROC and cannot be given up easily.
The islands in the South China Sea "are very important," he said in response to questions at a press conference with foreign correspondents based in Taiwan.
The region is rich in natural resources and is an important navigation channel for the ROC, Ma said.
"We should try to resolve the disputes through peaceful means, rather than give up the territory to deal with the problem," Ma said. Even if Taiwan abandons its claims, the territorial disputes would still remain among the various claimants, he added.
Read the full story at Want China Times