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Central News Agency(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 18) President Lai Ching-te said today that the negotiations on the delimitation of exclusive economic zones (EEZs) between Japan and the Philippines should be handled in accordance with international law and should not affect the rights and interests of third parties. He pointed out that China, not being a coastal state in the relevant waters, is intervening and expanding under the guise of coast guard enforcement, posing the greatest threat to regional peace and stability. Taiwan will defend its sovereignty and maritime security in accordance with international law and calls on the international community to jointly deter China's illegal activities.Exclusive Economic ZoneAn Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), also known as an economic sea area, is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, extending from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, not more than 200 nautical miles (approximately 370.4 kilometers). Coastal states have the freedom of navigation and overflight, the freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines, and other lawful uses of the sea related to these freedoms within their EEZs.Coastal states have sovereign rights within their EEZs for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the seabed and its subsoil, whether living or non-living, as well as sovereign rights with regard to other activities for the economic exploration and exploitation of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds.Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the SeaThe President stated that all international disputes over rights and interests should be handled in accordance with international law and relevant international norms, and that everyone should abide by the rules-based international order. Just as between Japan and the Philippines, the overlapping issues concerning exclusive economic zones, or the past issues concerning fishing rights in the economic zones between Taiwan and Japan, and Taiwan and the Philippines, have all been handled in accordance with the "United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" and relevant regulations.He said that according to the "Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties," the delimitation negotiations between Japan and the Philippines cannot and will not affect the rights and interests of third parties.He pointed out that Taiwan has signed fisheries agreements with Japan and the Philippines respectively, and there are established channels for communication and contact between Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines regarding fishing rights. The Coast Guard Administration and other relevant units are also acting in accordance with these agreements. As a sovereign state and a responsible member of the region, Taiwan abides by international norms and bilateral agreements with Japan and the Philippines to ensure that the country's rights and the rights of fishermen are not affected.The President stated that, to date, the sole and greatest risk and threat to Taiwan and neighboring countries such as Japan and the Philippines is China, which intrudes into the economic waters of Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines, falsely claiming enforcement but with the actual purpose of expansion. According to international conventions, China is not a "coastal state" in this region and has no right to make any claims in this area. In recent times, harassment by China's coast guard and other gray zone tactics have caused regional unease. It also highlights China's increasingly obvious attempts at expansion in the Western Pacific.Therefore, the President said, based on the sovereign rights granted by the relevant regulations on "Exclusive Economic Zones" in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Taiwan will fully defend its sovereignty, protect its maritime security, and ensure the safe passage of international vessels without illegal harassment or threats.Finally, the President also called on the international community to recognize the serious and immediate harm caused by China's illegal actions to regional peace and stability, and to take joint action to deter such illegal behavior. (Editor: Wan Shuchang) 1150618Choose to stand with the facts. Your every donation is a force to protect the freedom of the press.Download the CNA "One-Stop News" APP to get the latest news in real time.The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.