‘It’s like a slap in the face’: Taiwan’s outgoing leader Ma Ying-jeou snubbed over Japan’s seizure of fishing boat and crew
Taipei slams Tokyo’s ‘pirate-like’ action and demand of NT$1.7 million ‘ransom’
Taiwan’s outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou has been snubbed over Japan’s detention of a Taiwanese fishing boat and its captain.
The incident comes just three weeks before Ma is slated to hand over the reins of power to the leader of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, Tsai Ing-wen, on May 20.
Analysts say the incident has deeply embarrassed Ma, who has been trumpeting the success of his East China Sea Peace Initiative, which he had proposed in 2012. Taiwan signed a fishery cooperation pact with Japan the following year.
The incident is like a slap on his face, dashing his hope of leaving behind a legacy of promoting peace and reconciliation in the waters surrounding Taiwan
They said Ma also hoped to use the move as a resolution to ease growing tensions in the South China Sea, where a group of islets and atolls, are claimed in part or wholly by Taiwan, mainland China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.