Taiwan holds joint coast guard and navy rescue training near disputed South China Sea island

Taiwan’s coast guard and navy staged a joint humanitarian rescue exercise in waters off Taiwan-controlled Taiping Island on Tuesday, in a move seen by some as a subtle way of asserting sovereignty amid tension in the South China Sea.

Coast Guard Administration Minister Lee Chung-wei said the purpose of Tuesday’s exercise was to show to the world that Taiwan attaches great importance to humanitarian assistance, and that it is committed to resolving South China Sea disputes under the principles of consolidating peace, shelving differences and maintaining navigational freedom and safety.

It is the first time the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen has allowed local and international media to visit the island and report on the joint operation since Tsai took office in May.

It is also the first time an interministerial humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation has been held in waters off Taiping Island, or Itu Aba, the largest naturally formed land feature of the Spratly Archipelago, located some 1,600km south of Taiwan.

The Coast Guard Administration said in a statement that the exercise would help strengthen its capabilities in medical evacuation and maritime search and rescue efforts.