The Defense Minister has cancelled his inspection tour of the remot Taiping Island because of weather conditions. Taipeing is the largest in the Spratly Islands chain in the South China Sea.

Five other countreis - China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malyasia and Brunei  - also claim sovereignty over the Spratlys. The minster's tour was partly aimed at reinforcing Taiwan's sovereignty over the island. His tour has not yet been rescheduled.