Yilan: Ten students from Yue-Ming Elementary and Junior High School in Yilan County set sail from Suao Port on Friday for Japan's Okinawa island chain, on a voyage exploring historical maritime links between Taiwan and the former Ryukyu Kingdom. The "Sailing the East China Sea: Exploring the Ocean" program combines sailing, marine science research and exchanges with Japanese students, the school said in a statement.

According to Focus Taiwan, the program aims to deepen students' understanding of Taiwan's maritime heritage while encouraging them to engage with the ocean, take on new challenges and broaden their global outlook. Premier Cho Jung-tai and Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun attended the departure ceremony, where they encouraged the students and presented them with sunglasses.

Cho commented that the roughly 1,500-kilometer round trip from Suao to Ishigaki and Okinawa represents another step in expanding Taiwan's international engagement. He noted that the voyage also marks the 30th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Suao Township and Ishigaki City, adding that Taiwan-Japan youth sailing friendship regattas are expected to continue.

School principal Huang Chien-jung stated that the team is expected to arrive in Ishigaki on Saturday, where the students will take part in a friendly sailing race with local students, conduct marine science research and observe the night sky. The group will then continue to Miyakojima and Okinawa, Huang said. If a typhoon develops during the voyage, the group will remain in Ishigaki or Miyakojima until conditions are safe, he said.

The school has organized a series of maritime education projects since 2018, including expeditions across the Kuroshio Current.