The joint statement issued Sept. 11 by the U.S. Department of State and the European External Action Service supporting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is sincerely appreciated by the government and people, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The statement came after the seventh high-level meeting of the EU-U.S. Dialogue on China and sixth meeting of the EU-U.S. High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific convened Sept. 10-11 by EEAS Secretary General Stefano Sannino and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
According to the MOFA, the statement described cross-strait peace and stability as indispensable to international security and urged China to act with restraint in the strait and around Taiwan. It voiced opposition to unilateral attempts to change the status quo, called for the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues through dialogue and expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in global organizations.
The two countries also raised serious concerns about tensions in the East and South China Seas, reiterated strong opposition to recent actions by China that endanger the safety of life at sea and infringe upon freedom of navigation, and expressed strong commitment to upholding peace, stability and international law in the region.
The MOFA said similar supportive stances were also conveyed in the Sept. 5 statement following the 11th Australia-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations in Victoria by Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, as well as in the Sept. 4 statement following the summit between New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol in the East Asian country.
As a responsible member of the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan will keep working with its like-minded partners to defend the rules-based international order and safeguard freedom, democracy and human rights for all, the MOFA said. (SFC-E)
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