Kaohsiung, Sept. 6 (CNA) Officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Wednesday led a group of 24 international researchers, scientists and experts from around the globe to Taiwan's Taiping Island, the largest naturally occurring of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
The international team included marine geology and tectonics expert Professor Timothy Byrne, climate change expert Anne L. Cohen and meteorologist Tetsuo Nakazawa.
Wu Chun-chieh, director general of the ministry's Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Development, said the visit was the first by an international team to jointly plan future scientific research in the area with local researchers.
Wu pointed out that MOST and its predecessor the National Science Council (NSC) have supported scientific research, including geological, marine, geographic and atmospheric studies in the South China Sea since 2004.
He said the earthquake and meteorological observatory on the island shares its data with scientific and research teams around the world.
In Nov. 2016, MOST established a South China Sea international scientific research planning office to build an integrated research platform with the goal of promoting research cooperation among countries in the region and encouraging international scientists and experts to conduct research in the area.
