Taiwan Minister Visits Itu Aba Island for Humanitarian, Evacuation, and Armed Boarding Exercises

Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling visited Itu Aba, a Taiwan-controlled island in the South China Sea, for exercises that included humanitarian relief, medical evacuation, and marine pollution removal, according to a statement from Taiwan's coast guard.

The visit also featured practicing the armed boarding of a suspicious ship, Japan Times reported. It marked the first time in seven years that a Taiwanese minister had traveled to the island.

Itu Aba, which Taiwan calls Taiping Island, is controlled by Taiwan and located in the Spratly Islands in the southern part of the South China Sea. China, Vietnam, and the Philippines also claim the island. Taiwan and China each claim sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, adding to the contested nature of the region.

The exercises took place amid these ongoing territorial disputes. Kuan Bi-ling spoke during a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, though details of her remarks were not specified in the reporting. The coast guard's statement on the visit was issued late on Wednesday, Japan Times reported.