Chapter Five
68
Islands and the Nansha Islands; as well as all the other islands belonging
to the People's Republic of China.”^7 Taiwan promulgated a similar law in
- The Law on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone of the
Republic of China, however, does not specifically refer to the individual
islands and therefore the extent of Taiwan’s claim remains rather unclear.
Taiwan’s Approach to the South China Sea –
The Spratly Islands and the Pratas
The Spratly Islands are located in the southern part of the South China
Sea. They are composed of more than 122 different formations, many of
which are situated under the water level even at low tide. It is for this
reason that the Spratlys can hardly sustain human life. The area that could
potentially be used for habitation covers only a few kilometers squared.^8
However, the Spratly Islands’ location is strategically important. Their
strategic importance was already confirmed by the Japanese who, during
WWII, built a submarine base in the Spratlys. Situated near important sea
lanes of communications (SLOCs), both Beijing and Taiwan see the
islands as crucial to their international trade. Particularly the PRC–with its
power projection capabilities, but also its appetite for oil–sees the area as
strategically vital. Securing passage through the South China Sea is crucial
to the continued delivery of a large portion of China’s energy resources
and other goods. The Straits of Malacca represent a choke point for
China’s military strategists–in case of a military conflict, China could use
a base on the Spratly Islands to cut off shipping lanes through the South
China Sea and thus deprive its potential adversaries of oil deliveries and
other imports. Similarly, the South China Sea is crucial for Taiwan, as
about 70 percent of its oil and raw material imports are transported
through the South China Sea.
The South China Sea is also an important fishing area, particularly for
Taiwan’s fishing industry. The fact that the fish stocks are depleted around
Taiwan has encouraged fishermen to venture to farther distances, thus
often entering disputed areas. In recent years, we have witnessed a spike in
(^7) “Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the
Contiguous Zone.”
(^8) The size of the land above water even at high tide differs, but it is usually
described less than 5 km^2. Taiwan plays an important role in this aspect – it
controls Taiping Island that disposes of source of fresh water. More follows below.