Accords, remarks and joint statements in recent days from leaders and high-level officials of Canada, Japan, South Korea, the EU and the U.K. reaffirming the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are sincerely welcomed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During a Nov. 26 meeting in Busan, South Korea, Foreign Minister Park Jin reiterated his country’s opposition to unilateral change of the cross-strait status quo. His remarks to his Chinese counterpart followed the Downing Street Accord inked by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Nov. 22 in London, the MOFA said.
The accord states that the signatories will strive for openness and transparency in the Indo-Pacific and that their basic positions on Taiwan remain unchanged. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable to the security and prosperity of the international community, the document said. South Korea and the U.K. further stated their strong opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the East and South China seas and affirmed their commitment to upholding international law, including freedom of navigation.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa during a bilateral meeting with her Chinese counterpart Nov. 25 in Busan, and in a joint statement co-released by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Nov. 24 following the Canada-EU Summit 2023 held in the North American country.
According to the document, Canada and the EU both remain seriously concerned about growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and underscored the importance of cross-strait peace and stability.
Such strong support shows the broad consensus from countries around the world on cross-strait security, the MOFA said, adding that as a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to work with like-minded partners to defend democracy and contribute to regional and global peace and prosperity at a time when the international order is challenged by authoritarian expansion. (YCH-E)
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