A joint statement released by Australian and South Korean foreign and defense ministers voicing support for cross-strait peace and stability is deeply appreciated by the government and people, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs May 1.
The document was released earlier the day following the Australia-Republic of Korea 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting held in Melbourne. The participants were Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, South Korea’s Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul.
According to the statement, the ministers reaffirmed the importance of preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the region. They emphasized the vital importance of responsibly managing strategic competition and stressed the need to promote open channels of communication and transparency to reduce risks including misunderstanding and conflict in the region.
The ministers also discussed the advancement of the Australia-Republic of Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to enhance defense cooperation both bilaterally and with like-minded partners to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. The two sides additionally recognized the contribution of the AUKUS—the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S.—in supporting security in the region and beyond.
According to the MOFA, the government will continue to closely work with like-minded partners such as Australia and South Korea to maintain cross-strait peace and stability. The country is also committed to safeguarding shared values of freedom and democracy while defending the rules-based international order to enhance prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. (YCH-E)
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