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Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling visited Itu Aba, a Taiwan-controlled island in the South China Sea, on April 22, 2026. The trip marked the first such ministerial visit in seven years and included exercises on humanitarian relief and armed ship boarding. The island is claimed by China, Vietnam, and the Philippines amid broader territorial disputes.
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.
gamereactor.euTwo students aged 14 and 15 opened fire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban on Monday, killing three fellow students and wounding seven others. Police arrested both suspects after the mid-morning attack at the government-run school.
The GuardianAlberto Carvalho stepped down Sunday after an FBI search of his home and district offices in February. The district serves more than 430,000 students and has not released details on the scope of the investigation.
freepressjournal.inThe attack on Sunday is the latest in a series of more than 60 U.S. strikes on vessels since early September that have killed over 210 people. U.S. Southern Command said the boat was targeted along a known drug route but released no evidence of narcotics aboard.