Citing safety risk, Taiwan recommends president does not visit South China Sea

TAIPEI — Taiwan's top security official said on Thursday (March 21) he does not currently recommend President Tsai Ing-wen visit the South China Sea given the possible risk to her flight from "interference by relevant countries" given China's military presence there.

Both Taiwan and China claim most of the South China Sea as their own territory, but Taiwan only controls one main islet in the contested Spratly Islands deep in the southern part of the sea called Itu Aba, which Taiwan refers to as Taiping island.

Some lawmakers from both the ruling and main opposition parties have called on Tsai to visit Itu Aba before she steps down in May to assert Taiwan's sovereignty and view a newly renovated harbour that can take larger ships.

Both her predecessors visited the island but she has yet to do so while in office.

Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen said the South China Sea had been highly militarised, and the government must also consider how the international community would view such a trip.

"Many countries' aircraft and ships are interfered with by relevant countries when passing through," he told reporters at parliament.

"Therefore, it is necessary to assess whether the president's aircraft's flight safety can be maintained during the 1,600 km flight. If the two problems cannot be resolved, it is not recommended that the president go to Taiping island at this stage."

China has reclaimed land and build air bases and other military facilities on some of its islands including those close to Itu Aba, and regularly objects to US navy ships and military aircraft operating nearby in what Washington calls freedom of navigation operations.

Itu Aba has a runway long enough to take military re-supply